Academic Calendar 2023-2024

Admission

Admissions

The School of Medicine offers a four-year program leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine. One hundred students are admitted annually into the first year of the program and are selected based on a strong academic record and the assessment of personal characteristics considered to be most appropriate for the study of medicine at Queen's University and the subsequent practice of medicine. The goal of the medical curriculum is to produce physicians who have a wide understanding of the content and context of medicine and the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to enter any postgraduate training program. The curriculum will foster the development of lifelong learning skills necessary for effective practice.

The four-year MD Program at Queen's University is structured in sequential terms which will allow students to progress from scientific foundational knowledge through to clinical foundations of the human systems and finally, in clinical engagement during a two-year clinical rotation series; including electives for students to explore areas of interest. Our medical program is well known for the opportunities it provides; for close personal interaction between students and faculty members; for students to obtain relevant extensive hands-on clinical experience under supervision, particularly in an ambulatory setting. Our MD Program culture encourages participation and offers opportunities for students to engage in the administration development and evaluation of our medical curriculum and our governance structures. Our graduates are highly successful in obtaining postgraduate training sites and are known to be committed and enthusiastic citizens of their profession and their communities.

To learn more about eligibility and application requirements please check our How to Apply page.   Applicants must apply through OMSAS

Who Should Apply

Please note that the application guides and websites are currently in the process of being updated for the next application cycle. Please refer to the guides and websites once the application cycle opens in July for information about that specific application cycle.

Queen’s University School of Medicine admits up to 145 (Fall 2024 intake) Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada annually to the first year of its medical degree program.

  • 109 seats are located at our Kington Campus.
  • 20 seats are located at the Queen’s-Lakeridge Health site specifically for the Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine program.
  • Up to an additional 16 supernumerary seats are located at our Kingston Campus for Canadian Forces Members through the Military Medical Training Program (MMTP).

Students are selected based on a strong academic record, MCAT, Casper and the assessment of personal characteristics considered to be the most appropriate for studying medicine at Queen’s University and the subsequent practice of medicine.

Equity, diversity and inclusion are priorities for our Admissions Committee and are guiding principles for our process. 

The Council of Ontario Faculties of Medicine (COFM) approved guidelines about the skills and abilities required:

  • to study medicine in Ontario;
  • to successfully complete the medical programs;
  • to enter professional practice.

These guidelines apply to students registered in, or applying to, these respective programs in any of the Ontario medical schools.

Please carefully review the Essential Skills and Abilities Required for Entry to a Medical Degree Program

Proficiency in the English Language

The Queen’s Medical School Curriculum is conducted in English. Proficiency in English is a prerequisite for admission. Those applicants whose native languages do not include English will be required to obtain satisfactory standing in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) proficiency test as part of the application process.

Any applicant who has recently studied for at least one complete year at a university where English is the official language of instruction may be exempt from the English Language Proficiency Test. An applicant requesting a waiver of the test for this reason should do so in writing and submit it with their OMSAS application using the SAM tool. The Medical School Admissions Committee will make determinations in these cases.

The Queen’s School of Medicine requires the following minimum TOEFL scores:

TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT):100

TOEFL Paper based Tests:  100

Applicants may submit unofficial TOEFL results through that SAM tool within their OMSAS application however official TOEFL results must be shared to us directly through TOEFL. Please follow the steps below to distribute your results to Queen's University:

  • Use the Institution Code 0949 for Queen's University and select 'Undergraduate Organization" as the department from the list 
  • Once you distribute your Official Score Report through TOEFL, you are required to email queensmd@queensu.ca with your full name, date of birth and registration number so that we can retrieve your results

Advanced Standing/Transfer

Due to the unique structure of the medical curriculum, applicants will not be considered for admission with advanced standing/transfer.

All candidates must complete the application process and all components of the program curriculum.

Applicants will be deemed ineligible for admissions into the MD program if they:

  1. are a current student, past student or graduate of an Undergraduate Medical Education program at a Canadian medical school and/or
  2. have been required to withdraw from an MD program (to be assessed on a case‐by‐case basis).

Indigenous Applicants

Up to a maximum of four qualified Indigenous students per year may be admitted to the M.D. program by the alternate process. Indigenous candidates may also choose to apply through the main stream admission process.

Applicants must apply through OMSAS and indicate in the OMSAS application that they are applying as an Indigenous applicant.

If an applicant wishes to be considered by the Indigenous application category, they must also submit the following documentation along with the other application requirements through OMSAS by the application deadline:

  • A separate letter to the Chair, Admissions Committee, in which they declare their Indigenous ancestry and give specific information about First Nation, Treaty, community, or organizational affiliation. The letter should request consideration by this alternate process, and should expand on the candidate's academic and personal background, how you are culturally connected to your Indigenous community, as well as reasons and motivation for wishing to become a physician. Maximum 1 page.
  • A letter of support from a representative of the candidate's First Nation, Band Council, Tribal Council, and/or Treaty, community or organizational affiliation. This individual should be able to speak to your Indigenous community involvement, and personal character traits that would qualify you as a promising candidate to pursue a future in medicine.  Maximum 1 page.
  • Proof of Indigenous ancestry. Indigenous applicants must submit one of the following documents:
    • Indian status cards from First Nations who are federally recognized and those listed on the Indigenous & Northern Affairs Canada website.
    • For Non-Status First Nations, your parent's and/or grandparent's Indian status card and the applicant's long form birth certificate and (if applicable) the respective parent's or grandparent's baptismal certificate.
    • A membership card indicating that you are a Non-Status First Nations who is currently in a court case (example: Algonquin).
    • Métis citizenship from organizations that are members of the Métis National Council.
    • Nunavut Trust Certificate card or Inuit roll number

 A panel consisting of representatives from the Admissions Committee and the Indigenous community will review the files of all candidates who wish to be considered by this alternate process and select candidates for interview. The panel will pay particular attention to academic commitment towards a career in medicine. (Only in exceptional circumstances will candidates with a GPA of less than 3.0 and a MCAT score of less than 120 in each section be selected for interview.)

For recruitment events or Indigenous involvement at Queen's School of Medicine, please contact Cortney Clark cortney.clark@queensu.ca

Additional Resources:

Applicants must apply through OMSAS.

Military Medical Training Program (MMTP) Applicants

At the request of the Department of National Defence, the Queen’s University MD Program program has completed arrangements with the Department of National Defence (DND) to create up to 9 additional training positions in the Queen’s Medical Doctorate Program that are above and beyond our provincially funded 100 seats. Canadian Forces Staff who are supported by the DND would be eligible to apply for these positions and offers of admission will be made to those who qualify.

Regular Force military candidates interested in the Military Medical Training Program (MMTP) can obtain more information by consulting the Officer Specialist Training intranet website.

Military candidates who apply through the MMTP must meet all application eligibility requirements, including the necessary requirements as outlined by the military. These candidates must follow the same application procedures as all other applicants. The application fees will apply, and the candidates must follow the same method of payment as all other applicants.

For additional information regarding the MMTP application process, contact:

Name: DMCPG 5-2
Title: Commissioning and Education Programs Supervisor, Director General Military Careers
Email: cmp.dmcpg5@forces.gc.ca

For additional information regarding Medical Officer Recruitment, roles, responsibilities and prospective military service in Health Services, it is strongly encouraged that you also contact:

Canadian Forces Health Services Attraction Cell
Email: CFHSAttractionCell-CelluledattractionSSFC@forces.gc.ca 

Applicants must apply through OMSAS.

MD/PhD & Masters Applicants

The combined MD/PhD and MD/ Master’s Programs provide benefits to both scholarship and to the professional development of physician-scientists by allowing better integration of clinical and research training experiences, and also provide better opportunities for fostering translational research.

Our programs are in keeping with the strategic directions of both the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Strategic Plan and Government of Canada's Science and Technology Strategy, which emphasize the need for providing increased trans-sectorial and multidisciplinary training, building research excellence, translating knowledge into practical applications and deepening the pool of highly skilled individuals. Students in combined MD/graduate programs bring a distinctive, clinical/translational perspective into their laboratories, and conversely, these students also bring a basic science perspective to share with their fellow medical students.  This is especially relevant in the context of the greater emphasis now being placed on team-based learning approaches as an important component of the Queen’s medical curriculum.

Applicants must apply through OMSAS.

Please note that there are different eligibility and application requirements for the MD component and the PhD or MSc component of this combined program. 

Queen's - Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program

The Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program is a new, first-in-Canada medical education model specifically designed to address the shortage of family doctors. It aims to graduate practice-ready, community-focused physicians able to provide comprehensive care to patients in southeastern Ontario. The program will be based at the Queen’s satellite campus at Lakeridge Health in Durham Region.

Queen’s University’s School of Medicine has partnered with Lakeridge Health for many years, creating a satellite campus to train future physicians. Building on this long-standing partnership, Queen’s University and Lakeridge Health will help address the primary care physician shortage in southeastern Ontario by taking a novel approach to medical education through the Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program.

The Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program is a new, first-in-Canada medical education model specifically designed to address the shortage of family doctors. It aims to graduate practice-ready, community-focused physicians able to provide comprehensive care to patients in southeastern Ontario. This program will be based at the Queen’s satellite campus at Lakeridge Health in Durham Region.

Queen’s University students will undergo classroom training at Lakeridge Health and engage in workplace experiences embedded in communities across the region. This area stretches from Oshawa to Peterborough to Perth, Smiths Falls and Brockville.

This new, concentrated-training model will develop community-focused family doctors who are specialized in offering comprehensive care to a wide variety of patients. This program differs substantially from the standard MD program in design, curricular delivery, purpose of electives, and freedom from the need for postgraduate residency matching. For these reasons, transfers to other programs, including the standard Queen’s MD Program at the Kingston site, will not be feasible.  

The Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program is designed for students who know they want to become family physicians.

Training to purpose, this program will seamlessly integrate the training of medical students through to practice readiness.

Directed toward training in community-based Family Medicine, the program will have several unique features, including:

  • A deliberate Family Medicine focus guiding the overall curricular design and delivery.
  • Small class size, allowing for individual attention and close connections with faculty and student colleagues.
  • A prominent presence of practicing Family Physicians as teachers, curricular leads and student mentors.
  • Early and frequent clinical placements intended to introduce students to the practice of Family Medicine in parallel and integrated with their didactic learning and skill development.
  • Emphasis on the unique role of Family Physicians in our communities, including professional roles, social accountability, social determinants of health and health care advocacy.
  • Orientation to the various clinical profiles available within Family Medicine, including enhanced skill development in topics such as: Addictions, anaesthesia, care of the elderly, emergency medicine, palliative care, sports medicine and women’s health, including intrapartum obstetrics.

Graduates of the MD portion of this program will be well prepared to enter Family Medicine Residency. Transition to Family Medicine training occurs under the authority and recommendation of the Queen’s Family Medicine Residency Program Committee once postgraduate entry requirements are met, including being eligible for educational license as per the CPSO.

Students will receive an offer from the Post Graduate Family Medicine Training program in year 3, conditional on successfully completing the MD program. Once that offer is accepted students will be able to transition into Queen’s Family Medicine Residency without entering the CaRMS matching process.

Durham region is home to The Queen’s-Bowmanville–Oshawa-Lakeridge (QBOL) Family Medicine Residency, which is 1 of the 4 highly acclaimed Queen’s University Family Medicine Postgraduate Programs sites (the others being Kingston and the Thousand Islands, Belleville- Quinte, Peterborough-Kawartha).

Who is the ideal candidate?
The application process prioritizes candidates with qualities that show their commitment to community and who want to establish a comprehensive family medicine practice. 
  • You are fully committed to a career as a family physician as this is a single-career selection program.
  • You want to make a difference in the lives of people in your community and create positive social change.
  • You value a unique learning opportunity with a dedicated focus on comprehensive family medicine.
  • You want to learn in the community, as well as in the classroom, alongside doctors in practice.
  • You are adaptable, welcome change, and relish the challenge of a career where you see something different every day.

Graduate Applicants

Graduate applicants who have met the minimum threshold requirements, will be given consideration of their graduate student status and level of education based on what is submitted at the time of the OMSAS application deadline.

To be considered a graduate applicant for our admissions:

  1. Applicants must have completed their graduate degree by the August 1 prior to the commencement of medical school. This includes all graduate programs listed on your application; 
  2. Applicants must be in their final year of a multi‐year graduate degree program to be eligible to apply as a graduate applicant. Applicants must indicate on their application the expected date of degree completion;
  3. Applicants that are in a 1‐year graduate degree program must complete their graduate degree prior to applying to be eligible as a graduate applicant. Otherwise, they will be considered as an undergraduate applicant;  
  4. A subcommittee will assess the suitability of the candidate’s performance and if the graduate degree was completed at an accredited university;
  5. If the subcommittee determines that the applicant is suitable, they will progress to the next step in the method of selection.

If your application qualifies as a graduate applicant and you are offered a seat in our program, the offer is based on the expectation that your graduate degree(s) will be completed by the August 1st prior to the commencement of medical school. If you are unable to meet the deadline you will normally lose your seat in the program. We require an official transcript as proof of graduate studies conferral.

International Applicants

The MD program will not be accepting applications from international applicants for the upcoming cycle. This stream is currently being reviewed.

Application Process

Applications for Queen's School of Medicine are submitted to Ontario Medical Schools' Application Service (OMSAS). Candidates will be assessed based on materials submitted to OMSAS as well as their Cassper assessment by the application deadlines. Addendums or supplemental materials sent directly to the School of Medicine, or incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants who have applied previously must resubmit all application requirements each cycle to be considered. 

If you are choosing to apply to a specific category (i.e. Canadian Armed Forces Applicants, Indigenous Applicants, International Applicants or MD/PhD, MD/MSc Applicants), additional items are required with your OMSAS application. Please ensure that you review these additional items here and submit the appropriate documentation for consideration. 

Communication with applicants will be through the email address provided in your OMSAS application. As such, it is your responsibility to monitor your email and all associated email folders (inbox, spam, junk, etc.) during the application process. This includes ensuring that email inboxes and associated folders are not full and are able to receive incoming mail. We are not responsible for any correspondence that is not answered by stipulated deadlines.

Applicants, prospective applicants, or other individuals with inquiries about our program are expected to conduct themselves throughout their interaction with our office and/or the application process in a manner that is respectful to the community, our faculty, and our staff.

Please note that inquiries related to admissions to the Queen’s MD Program should be directed to queensmd@queensu.ca email address. Sending multiple emails regarding the same inquiry and/or sending multiple emails to various individuals at the university will not speed up the response time in any way and will only cause further delays. Please also respect our response timelines indicated in our automatic replies. The Admissions Team tries to respond to your inquiries within those timelines.

Individual, applicants, or their family members, delegates and friends are not to contact the Dean, School of Medicine, Associate Dean, MD Program, or Associate Dean, Graduate & Postdoctoral Education directly or indirectly in any form/method/manner regarding the application process or their application. To do so, will be considered a breach of professionalism and any such contact or overtures will be noted and may jeopardize the individual’s application.

Please note that we do not respond to 3rd party inquiries that are sent on behalf of an applicant.

The MD Program at Queen’s University’s School of Medicine is fully accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) - the bodies that accredit MD programs in Canada and the United States. As such, the Admissions Office adheres strictly with the following CACMS standard: 10.2 The final responsibility for accepting students to a medical school rest with a formally constituted admission committee. The authority and composition of the committee and the rules for its operation, including voting privileges and the definition of a quorum, are specified in bylaws or other medical school policies. Faculty members constitute the majority of voting members at all meetings. The selection of individual students must not be influenced by any political or financial factors."

 If it is discovered that any application information is false or misleading, concealed or withheld, the application will be disqualified; or, if discovered after an offer of admission has been sent, that offer will be withdrawn.

If these circumstances are discovered after you are admitted into the MD program, you will be required to withdraw from the program.

Queen’s School of Medicine may, at its discretion, refuse to accept future applications to the MD program from a candidate who has submitted a false, misleading or fraudulent application in the past.

Eligibility requirements

Admission procedures are reviewed annually and requirements from previous years may not apply. Queen’s University reserves the right to change admission requirements at any time, without notice. Submission deadlines are final, and the instructions provided on OMSAS must be followed for your application to be considered. When you submit an application to the Queen’s University MD Program program, you accept the current admission policies and procedures, as well as the methods by which the applicants are selected.

Course Credits & Grade Point Averages

To qualify for entry into the School of Medicine, candidates are required to have a minimum of 30 half courses or 15 full courses (or in combination) at the undergraduate university level. This would typically equate to a total OMSAS course load weighting of 30 (see OMSAS Weighting in the table below). This requirement must be fulfilled by the June 30th prior to possible entry into the program.

Only undergraduate university credit courses meeting Queen’s University “Basis of Admission for Advance Study Interpretation Guidelines” are considered in the grade point average (GPA) and credit requirements.

At the time of application: Applicants must have completed a minimum 20 half or 10 full courses (or in combination) of the 30 half courses or 15 full courses at the undergraduate level in a university program as described by the OMSAS Weighting at the time that their application is submitted.

Transfer Credits- Transfer credits (i.e., International Baccalaureate, Advance Placement and CEGEP programs, exchange credits) appearing on your university transcript are not included in your GPA calculation but are considered in the credit requirement totals provided all other requirements are met.

Credit/No Credit and Pass/Fail Courses- An applicant can have no more than one credit/no credit course in a semester to be eligible for a GPA calculation. If the structure of your program does not allow for this, then you must submit official documentation from the institution as to why the student does not have a choice to select a numerical or alpha grade. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

This will take effect for any courses taken in Fall 2022 and onward.

Prerequisite Courses

We do not require prerequisite courses. With the elimination of prerequisite courses, applicants are able to select a program of study and courses, which best meet the goals of their undergraduate degree program.  We do not recommend any particular course or degree program since no preference is given to applicants who have studied in any particular university program. Applicants are encouraged to consider all of the undergraduate programs available to them and to embark on the course of study in which they have the greatest interest and that would prepare them for an alternate career should they not gain a place in medicine.

Course Weight

Each year we receive applications from candidates who have studied at universities with various credit and grading systems. In order to give each candidate equal consideration, courses are weighted according to their length of study as follows (also see OMSAS Weighting):

Course - OMSAS' Equivalent Weighting 

Full-year - 2

Half-year/Semester - 1

Three quarter - 1.5

Quarter (applies only to American Universities) - 0.5      

Science laboratory (Graded separately and is weighted as less than a half-year/semester) - 0.5

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The Admissions Committee will use ONLY your cumulative GPA in assessment of your application. (This will apply to the 2022-2023 admissions cycle)

The cumulative GPA calculation includes ALL full-time, part-time, summer, or supplemental courses taken at undergraduate university level except those taken on foreign exchange and graduate studies, with all years treated equally. Courses and grades must appear on your university undergraduate transcript(s) to be included in the GPA calculation. This calculation includes all courses, regardless of first or second degree or year of study in an unclassified program.

The cumulative GPA calculation does not include the current academic year (Sept–June), as grades for your current academic year of study are not available at the time of the application deadline.

Minimum GPA- The minimum cumulative GPA to apply is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale according to OMSAS’ scale. 

GPAs are calculated using converted grade points based on the OMSAS Conversion Scale

Please note that admission to the MD Program is competitive. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. You can find our Admissions Statistics for last year’s incoming class here.

General Information:

The following will not be included in the GPA calculation:

  • Naturopathic and chiropractic medicine
  • Consecutive Bachelor of Education programs
  • College courses (even if transfer credit is granted)
  • Challenge for credit courses
  • Continuing Education programs
  • Graduate courses
  • Undergraduate courses taken while part of a graduate program
  • Doctor of Medicine programs
  • Only the cumulative GPA will be calculated.
  • For repeated courses, all grades obtained are calculated towards the GPA.
  • Degree programs or individual courses are not considered a factor in the calculation of GPAs.
  • Calculations include grades from all courses included on the University transcript for Canadian and United States Universities, including repeated courses.
  • Courses that a “pass” or “credit” grade is assigned for are counted for credit, but we do not include them in the GPA calculation.
  • If you have withdrawn from a course and there is a grade reflected on your transcript for that course, it will be included in GPA calculations. If there is no grade associated with a withdrawn course, it has no effect on your application.

No adjustments are made based on course load or course levels.

International grades:

Applicants attending university outside Canada, or the United States must have their academic credentials/foreign transcripts assessed for Canadian equivalency by World Education Services (WES). Information pertaining to the assessment of international grades can be found on the OMSAS website.

A course-by-course WES evaluation with an overall GPA is required.

Credentialing assessment means converting international academic credentials into their Canadian educational equivalents. If a World Education Services (WES) assessment includes a copy of your official transcript, you are not required to request a transcript from your registrar.

The standard cumulative GPA will not be calculated for candidates submitting foreign transcripts.  WES assessments will be reviewed and applications for these candidates will be reviewed on an individual basis.

Transcripts

You must submit all transcripts through OMSAS, including education taken outside of Canada. 

Your transcripts must demonstrate you have:

  • obtained 15 full or 30 half courses (or in combination) at the undergraduate university level by June 30 prior to possible entry into the program of September of the same year;
  • maintained a satisfactory GPA, as determined by the Admissions Committee; and
  • will have completed post-graduate studies by August 1 prior to entry into the program, if applicable.

MCAT

All applicants must write the MCAT prior to the OMSAS application deadline. You must release all MCAT scores to OMSAS each application year and ensure that they are received by the stipulated deadline. OMSAS will report your scores to Queen’s University.

Each year, the Admissions Committee considers scores from the:

Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems,

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems,

Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behaviour,

Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills and the sum of these parts.

You must meet the minimum score set by the Admissions Committee. These thresholds are determined annually for each application cycle, for each category, and for the total score. These thresholds are not disclosed however you can find our Admissions Statistics for last year’s incoming class here.

Notes: The Queen’s School of Medicine imposes no restrictions on the number of times that you may take the test. If you have written the test multiple times, you must ensure that all test results are released to OMSAS by the specified date. All MCAT scores will then be reported by OMSAS to Queen’s University. Test results are valid from any test written within 5 years of the application deadline. Applications will be assessed based on the scores from your best test results.

Applicants who have submitted their MCAT score(s) with a previous application will need to re-submit their scores for the current application cycle to be eligible. It is your responsibility to ensure that these scores are received by OMSAS for the current application by the deadline. While we use the MCAT in our evaluation process, we do not administer the test. Therefore, we are unable to offer any information or advice on preparation for the MCAT. For further details about the test, applicants should visit www.aamc.org/mcat/.  

Accommodations: Information on how and when to request MCAT accommodations can be found here. The Admissions Committee does not publish previous or current MCAT cut-offs as they vary year-to-year based upon the current applicant pool data. The admissions committee reviews all four subjects as well as the applicants total score.

Casper

All applicants to the MD Program at Queen’s University are required to complete an online assessment, Casper through the Atlus Suite platform, to be eligible for admission. We do not require applicants to complete Snapshot or Duet, and they will not be included in review of your application.

Casper is a standardized online assessment that measures different competencies and attributes such as personal and professional characteristics that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. Casper is a 100-120 minute online, open-response situational judgement test. It is a compliment to the other tools that we use for applicant screening. In implementing Casper, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process.

In order to take Casper, you will be responsible for securing access to a laptop or desktop computer with webcam and audio capabilities and a reliable internet connection with a internet speed of at least 1.5 Mbps and upload speed of at least 2 Mbps. You will require the following for both account creation and taking the test:

  • Government-issued photo ID
  • Valid email address (Please use the email address that you used on your OMSAS application as this is used as one of our identifiers when linking your score to your application)
  • Working webcam
  • Working microphone
  • Reliable high-speed internet connection
  • Your OMSAS Reference Number for the current application cycle. (i.e. 8xxxxx) as this is used as one of our identifiers when linking your score to your application (Do not use previous OMSAS reference numbers )
  1. Please go to www.TakeAltus.com to register your Casper account and sign up for the CSP-10201 – Canadian Professional Health Sciences version of Casper using a piece of government-issued photo ID and your OMSAS ID (8xxxxx) for the current admissions cycle.
  2. Select a Casper test date. You will be provided with a limited number of testing dates and times. Please note that these are the only testing dates available for your Casper test. There will be no additional tests scheduled. Please use an email address that you check regularly and that you have used for your OMSAS application; there may be updates to the test schedule.
    1. Exceptions will not be provided for applicants who are unable to take Casper during one of the available test dates.
    2. Important: To account for identity verification and payment processing timeline, ensure that you register for your test at least 3 days before your preferred test date and time. Last-minute bookings are not recommended.
  3. Ensure you have selected Queen’s University for distribution before the posted Distribution Deadline. Likely, there will be no additional tests scheduled, but the most up to date information can be found by browsing the Test Dates and Times  on TakeAltus.com.
  4. Please direct any inquiries on Altus Suite to support@altus.as. Alternatively, you may use the chat bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen on the TakeAltus.com website.

Accommodations: If you require testing accommodations for Altus Suite you will need to submit the Accommodations Request Form signed by you and your qualified professional 3 weeks in advance of your desired test date. More information regarding accommodations can be found here.

Notes:  If you take Casper during this cycle but before one of our testing dates that is okay! You will still be able distribute your score to us. You simply will need to wait until you have received your OMSAS ID (8xxxxx) for this year's application and then request that your score is distributed to Queen's as the OMSAS ID is a requirement. Please do not use an OMSAS ID from previous years or make one up as we use this number as one of our identifiers when linking it to your application. The testing dates listed under Queen's are there because it will be at that time you will have your OMSAS ID available.

  • Casper scores are only available for one application cycle and the test is only offered on a select number of days. Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years are expected to re-take it.
  • If you do not follow these instructions then your Casper score may not get linked to your application and will be considered incomplete. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the correct information to Casper that correlates with your current OMSAS application. We are not responsible for Casper scores that are not linked to an application due to incorrect or mismatched information being supplied.
  • If you are applying to another university or program that requires you to write the Casper assessment in French, you will need to write it again in English for this application.
  • If you are writing a different version of the Casper assessment (other than CSP-10201 – Canadian Professional Health Sciences for you MD application) you will need to complete the CSP-10201 – Canadian Professional Health Sciences version as well for this application. 
  • There is a separate fee for that Casper test which is paid by the applicant directly to Altus Assessments. This fee is not included in the OMSAS/Queen’s application fee.

Autobiographical Sketch

The Queen's School of Medicine uses the detailed autobiographical sketch as part of the application evaluation. This submission provides our assessors with a snapshot of a candidate's personal experiences and achievements. We consider the following 5 categories in the Autobiographical Sketch:

  • Employment
  • Volunteer Activities
  • Extra-Curricular Activities
  • Awards & Accomplishments
  • Publications & Research

Ensure that items selected are those most relevant to a medical school application. Items listed in the Other category will not be considered.

General Information:

  • The Admissions Committee will not review activities from high school.
  • The autobiographical sketch is completed through the OMSAS application and then disseminated to the Admissions Committee for review.
  • Please ensure that items selected to include are those most relevant to a medical school application.
  • There is room in the form to provide information relating to 32 items. You are not required to fill all available spots.
  • Submissions are assessed based on the quality of the listed items and the characteristics they represent (not the number of items listed). 
  • The candidate must list:
    • What year in your education the activity occurred (i.e. 1st year undergraduate, summer between 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate, graduate, post graduate etc.)
    • The length of time each activity has taken,
    • The location of the activity and
    • A brief description, which can be in point form/

When you indicate the number of hours, specify if it is per week or per month.

The Admissions Committee will not review activities from high school. If you started an activity in high school and continued in postsecondary education, only the time starting at postsecondary is reviewed.

Note: The Admission Committee is unable to review and evaluate Autobiographical Sketches that are not written in English.

Please visit the OMSAS website for further details about the ABS requirements and submission details here.

Confidential Assessment Forms:

You are required to ask 3 different individuals (we refer to them as referees) to provide a reference on your behalf:

  • 1 academic or employment related referee
  • 1 non-academic referee
  • 1 referee of your choosing

Applicants should choose referees who have more than a casual relationship with you and can evaluate you in a nonbiased fashion, avoiding family members, family friends, neighbours, acquaintances, friends or spiritual advisors for example. We do not consider them to be objective. Ideally, applicants should choose referees who can collectively address qualities and attributes in both academic and non-academic domains. Forms from non-objective references will not be considered. We do not provide specific feedback on who an applicant should choose to be a referee or for which type of referee. We will refer you back to this page.

Select referees who have extensive personal knowledge of you and, as a result, are in a position to answer the Confidential Assessment Form (CAF) questions. 

The Admissions Committee desires referees who have more than a casual relationship with you. We recommend choosing referees that have known you for a minimum of 6 months. You should ask your referee to provide examples of the characteristics they are being asked to comment on.

In order for referees to provide uniform information that admission committees are specifically looking for from the reference process, each of your referees will be asked to fill out a CAF. It is your responsibility to inform your referees that they must fill out the CAF, and that additional letters of reference will no longer be accepted.

On the CAF, your references will be asked to respond to the following:

  1. Would this applicant make a good physician?
  2. Rate the applicant on each of the following attributes:
    • Communication skills
    • Problem-solving skills
    • Professionalism (e.g., commitment to ethical practice, standards of behaviour and accountability to others)
    • Empathy (e.g., demonstrating consideration of others’ perspectives)
  3. Identify and comment on 1 area of improvement for the applicant.
  4. Share any other information you feel may be relevant to a medical school’s admission committee.

Information about Dates of Submission

All Confidential Assessment Forms must be received by OMSAS by the application deadline. It is each candidate's responsibility to ensure they have selected three appropriate referees to submit a Confidential Assessment Form. In the event less than 3 letters are submitted by the submission deadline, the application will be considered incomplete and will not be assessed further. 

Note: The Admission Committee is unable to review and evaluate Confidential Assessment Forms that are not written in English.

Please visit the OMSAS website for further details about the CAF requirements and submission details here

Interview

The Queen’s School of Medicine typically uses a combined MMI and panel interview in the assessment of qualifying candidates.  The goal of using the MMI is to more effectively assess non-cognitive qualities of an applicant, which could include empathy, critical thinking, ethical decision making and communication skills. Selected candidates will be invited to the MMI portion. A select number of candidates who complete the MMI will then be invited for a panel interview.

The Admissions Committee reserves the right to alter the elements of the interview process.

We email an interview invitation to selected applicants. It is the applicant’s responsibility to monitor their email and all associated email folders (inbox, spam, junk) during the application process, as invitations are sent via email. This includes ensuring the email inboxes and associated folders are not full and are able to receive incoming mail. We are not responsible for any correspondence that is not answered by stipulated deadlines. Any invitations that are not answered by our stipulated deadline will be considered declined. (no exceptions)

If an applicant that has been invited for an interview requires an accommodation for the interview, they must register by email with Queen’s Accessibility Services at the time they receive the interview invitation and provide documentation supporting the request.

Note: All candidates attending interviews will be required to sign a Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure statement, to ensure the integrity and security of the interview process.  Any violation of the signed statement or failure to sign the statement will result in removal of the admissions process.

Candidates offered interviews should be aware that interviews are only scheduled once per year. Rescheduling, regardless of the reason, will not be accommodated.

Methods of Selection

Each year the Admissions Committee establishes the minimum acceptable GPA score, MCAT score and Casper score for the admissions cycle. At Queen’s, we review the cumulative GPA. If the applicant meets the minimum established score set for the admissions cycle with a complete application then they progress to Step 2. If they are below the minimum, they do not progress in the process.

Autobiographical sketch and Confidential Assessment Forms review.

  • Autobiographical Sketches- The Admissions Committee reviews of the submitted sketch components; Employment, Extra-Curricular Activities, Volunteer Activities, Awards and Accomplishments, Research. Submissions are assessed based on the quality of the listed items and the characteristics they represent (not the number of items listed).

  • Confidential Assessment Forms/References -Applicants are expected to choose appropriate referees to complete the Confidential Assessment Forms and write letters of reference. Referees should have extensive personal knowledge of the applicant and be in a position to reasonably make statements concerning the applicant's character, personal qualities and academic capabilities. It is recognized that referees may not be in a position to evaluate all of the characteristics requested; however, applicants should ensure that, in choosing their three referees, the subject areas are covered. At least one referee should be a non-academic/character referee.

Based on GPA, MCAT, CASPer, Sketch and Reference Letter scores, a rank order list is generated and based on the rank order list a select number of applicants are invited for an interview. If an applicant chooses to withdraw or decline their interview or does not respond to the interview invitation, we will offer the interview spot to the next person on the rank order list.

The Queen’s School of Medicine uses a combined MMI and panel interview in the assessment of qualifying candidates.  The goal of using the MMI is to more effectively assess non-cognitive qualities of an applicant, which could include empathy, critical thinking, ethical decision making and communication skills. Selected candidates will be invited to the MMI portion.  From the applicants that complete the MMI component, a select number of these candidates will then be invited for a panel interview.

Successful applicants are reviewed and ranked by the Admissions Committee and offers are made based on a ranked list. Offers will be made after the first round on a rolling basis until the class has been filled. Once the class is complete all waitlisted applicants will be notified via email that offers are no longer being made.

Offers & Deferrals

Offers - All applicants will receive an email regarding the status of their application. The Admissions office will communicate via the email that was supplied with the applicant’s OMSAS application. 

It is the responsibility of the applicant to add @queensu.ca to their safe senders list and to monitor their email and all associated email folders (inbox, spam, junk, etc.)  during the application process. This includes ensuring that email inboxes are able to receive incoming mail. Applicants who receive an offer must respond by the deadline stipulated in the email. Any offers not answered by the deadline provided will be set to decline. This action cannot be reversed or changed for any reason. No exceptions. For these reasons, it is important that if you change your email from the one appearing on the OMSAS application you let us know. If you wish to update your email address, click here.

Queen's School of Medicine coordinates the first round of offers with all Ontario Medical Schools. Therefore, applicants who were invited to panel interviews will receive the results of their application in May, with the exception of MD/PhD & MD/Master’s offers which are typically sent in March, and MMTP offers which are typically sent in April.

Please refer to OMSAS’ Important Dates page for the admission cycle timeline.

All offers are conditional.  

When fulfilling the conditions of your offer, it is imperative that you follow the instructions listed. Failure to follow the submission instructions and deadlines may result in your offer being rescinded.  If you are accepting an offer to Queen’s MD Kingston Campus, please communicate with queensmd@queensu.ca.

If you are accepting an offer to the Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine Program, please communicate with qlhmdfmp@queensu.ca.

How to submit your documents:

  • MUST be in PDF format.
  • MUST be titled with your last name, first name, and the name of the document.

(i.e., LAST NAME_FIRST NAME_NAME OF DOCUMENT)

  • DO NOT combine documents into one PDF unless specified.
  • DO NOT send multiple emails with separate documents. Please wait until you have gathered all the requested documentation and send it in one email to the appropriate email address.
  • Follow the information below for where to send each document.

Plan accordingly and give yourself enough time to complete all of the documents by the stipulated deadlines. It is the applicant’s responsibility to notify the appropriate emails prior to any deadlines if they are experiencing issues with meeting those deadlines with the situation and a course of action. Communications of this nature will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Offers of admission may be rescinded if the selected candidate fails to meet any admission requirement or any one of the conditions of their offer.

Deferrals - Requests for deferred registration will be considered by the Admissions Committee from highly qualified students wishing to complete the requirements for their undergraduate or graduate degree before enrolling in the School of Medicine.  Requests for deferral are limited and will be considered as they are received and must be received within 7 days of acceptance of your offer to be considered. Acceptance of your offer requires you to accept on OMSAS, accept on SOLUS and pay your deposit. Normally, deferred registration will be granted for one year. Deferral requests after June 30, prior to the commencement of medical school will generally not be accepted.


All offers of admission are conditional upon the following:

Accept offer.

Where to Submit/Complete

 For MD Kingston offers:

On OMSAS and SOLUS (Queen’s student platform)

For Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine offers:

Email mdfmprog@queensu.ca to accept and on SOLUS (Queen’s student platform)

Our office will then update OMSAS on your behalf.           

Condition Deadline

By the stipulated deadline in the offer

Pay a non-refundable deposit of $1050.

This amount is applied to the minimum tuition payment.

Please note payment processing can take up to 3-5 business days. You may wish to submit a copy of your proof of payment to queensmd@queensu.ca prior to the deadline should you be concerned that your deposit takes longer to process.

Where to Submit/Complete

Submit as PDF, with title "Last Name_First Name_MEDS27 DEPOSIT"        To Queen’s University (SOLUS)  

Condition Deadline

By the stipulated deadline in the offer

Maintain an academic standing that is acceptable to the Admissions Committee and complete all required credits. (The minimum acceptable GPA would normally be 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for OMSAS applicants)         

Where to Submit/Complete

At your current educational institution   

Condition Deadline

June of the year of application

Provide an official final transcript for the requirements for entry into the MD program.* (This includes all coursework at the graduate or doctoral level of study).

*Only required if you have completed additional education since the time of your OMSAS application or your transcript has been updated.          

Where to Submit/Complete

To OMSAS          

Condition Deadline

June 30th of the year of application

Submit Graduate Completion Letter (if applicable)

Submit as PDF, with title "Last Name_First Name_MEDS27 GRDLETTER"

If you are a graduate student, you are required to submit a letter from your supervisor confirming your graduate degree requirements will be completed by August 1 of the year you enter our program. Please have the School of Graduate Studies/Registrar's office send this letter directly to us as a PDF. Completion letters must be on letterhead.               

Where to Submit/Complete

For MD Kingston offers email:

queensmd@queensu.ca

 For Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine offers email:

mdfmprog@queensu.ca

Condition Deadline

July 17th of the year of application

Submit evidence of Canadian citizenship

Submit as PDF, with title "Last Name_First Name_MEDS27 CDN"

Submit a copy of your Canadian passport, birth certificate or certificate of Canadian citizenship, or proof of Canadian permanent residency.  A Social Insurance Number does not fulfill this requirement.

Please ensure the document is legible for print. 

Where to Submit/Complete

For MD Kingston offers email:

queensmd@queensu.ca

For Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine offers email:

mdfmprog@queensu.ca

Condition Deadline    

July 17th of the year of application

Submit Vulnerable Persons Police Sector Check at the candidate’s expense.

Submit as PDF, with title "Last Name_First Name_MEDS27 CPIC"

(MD/PhD & MD/Master’s candidates: this is required the year that you enter the MD component of your combined program.)

If you require a Toronto Police service screening form, please contact the respective office that pertains to your offer.

You may wish to keep a copy for your records.

Information Regarding Police Records Check:

·        All students who accept an offer of admission into a Medical, Residency, Nursing, or Rehabilitation Therapy program will provide evidence of a Police Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening, conducted at their expense before they will be permitted to register in the program.

·        An applicant or student who submits false, misleading, or incomplete information about a criminal charge or criminal record may be subject to sanction by the School of Medicine and/or the University.

·        As all medical students undertake significant portions of their education in settings with exposure to vulnerable populations, students are required to complete and submit the results of a Vulnerable Persons Police Record Check, at their own expense prior to the commencement of Medical School.  This process must be initiated through your local police service.

·        Police forces may use slightly different language to describe the various levels of Records Checks available. Please be sure that the check you undergo includes at least a check of local records, as well as the RCMP’s CPIC, and the register of pardoned sexual offences (vulnerable sector screening).  This high level of check is the one required by volunteers and other agencies that serve children and other vulnerable populations.  As these checks can take several weeks, we recommend that you begin the process as soon as possible to ensure compliance with our deadline.

·        The majority of students will have checks resulting in a “clear” report, indicating that no police record was found. A very few students may receive a “not clear” report. There are many circumstances that could lead to this finding, and each such case will be considered individually. The School of Medicine reserves the right to revoke an offer of admission or cancel registration based on a review of this Report.

·        If you have ever been convicted of a criminal offence for which you have not received a pardon, you are strongly urged to consult with your provincial College of Physicians and Surgeons, as medical graduates with criminal records may not be eligible to receive licensure to practice medicine.       

Where to Submit/Complete

For MD Kingston offers email a copy to:

queensmd@queensu.ca

 For Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine offers email a copy to:

mdfmprog@queensu.ca

 and

 All students are required to submit the original to our office.

 Mail official hard copies of the Police Record Check to our Admissions Office at:

MD Admissions

80 Barrie Street

Kingston, ON

K7L 3N6

(Consider sending this document using a delivery method that provides a tracking number.)

 or,

 Email official digital copies of the Police Record Check to the corresponding email above.

Condition Deadline    

July 17th of the year of application

Submit completed AFMC Immunization and Testing Form

For MD Kingston offers:

Submit as PDF, with title "Last Name_First Name_MEDS27 AFMC"

For Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine offers

Submit as PDF, with title "Last Name_First Name_MEDS27 AFMC QLH"

(MD/PhD & MD/Master’s candidates: this is required the year that you enter the MD component of your combined program.)

Form must be fully completed by your healthcare provider. Queen’s students are required to provide a recent serology report for Hepatitis C and HIV testing on admission to medical school. This requirement will be updated again prior to clerkship.

NOTE: The length of time this process can take to acquire all necessary vaccinations, follow-up, testing and documentation is often greatly underestimated. Please review the Communicable Diseases Protocol

If you have an immunization-related inquiry, please email Queen's Learner Wellness learnerwellness@queensu.ca

If applicable, they will submit the inquiry to the Occupational Health Nurse for an appropriate response. Please allow 2-5 business days            

Where to Submit/Complete

Email to Queen's Learner Wellness learnerwellness@queensu.ca

Condition Deadline

July 17th of the year of application

Submit Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Completed Vaccination

For MD Kingston offers:

Submit as PDF, with title "Last Name_First Name_MEDS27 COVID"

For Queen’s-Lakeridge Health MD Family Medicine offers

Submit as PDF, with title "Last Name_First Name_MEDS27 COVID QLH"

(MD/PhD & MD/Master’s candidates: this is required the year that you enter the MD component of your combined program.)

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination is required for clinical teaching activities and clinical placements. Medical learners should follow NACI recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines. Medical learners who choose not to have COVID-19 vaccination should be notified that university and hospital policies may preclude them from clinical teaching and/or clinical placements that are curricular requirements.

You are responsible to receive the vaccine at your earliest convenience and when available, providing confirmation

FAQs can be found on our QMED Help Tool.

If you have an immunization-related inquiry, please email Queen's Learner Wellness learnerwellness@queensu.ca

Where to Submit/Complete

Email to Queen's Learner Wellness learnerwellness@queensu.ca

Condition Deadline

July 17th of the year of application

Ability to meet the standards for entry in the medical degree program as stated in the document "Essential Skills and Abilities Required for Entry to a Medical Degree Program."

 Offers of admission may be rescinded if the selected candidate fails to meet any admission requirement or any one of the conditions of their offer.