Medical colleges in Canada are altogether 17 in number. All these schools grant the MD, or Doctor of Medicine, degree over the course of a 3- or 4-year focal curriculum (excluding variable months of preparatory modules), with MCAT score being a mandatory selection criterion for most.
Previously, the Medical Council of India (MCI), had endorsed and approved certain foreign institutions that MBBS aspirants can go to. However, the MCI has been replaced by the National Medical Commission now.
The NMC does not endorse any list of Foreign Medical Institutions/ Universities for MBBS anymore.
Topics covered
All 17 Medical Colleges in Canada
Medical School | City name |
---|---|
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary | Calgary |
Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine | Halifax |
Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba | Winnipeg |
McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences | Montreal |
Memorial University of Newfoundland Faculty of Medicine | St. John’s |
Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University | Hamilton |
Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Lakehead and Laurentian Universities | Sudbury |
Queen’s University Faculty of Health Sciences | Kingston |
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University | London |
University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry | Edmonton |
University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine | Vancouver |
University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine | Ottawa |
University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine | Saskatoon |
University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine | Toronto |
Université de Montréal Faculté de Médecine | Montreal |
Université de Sherbrooke Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé | Sherbrooke |
Université Laval Faculté de Médecine | Québec |

FMGE Examination
After coming back to India as a foreign-trained medical graduate, you will have to clear Medical Council of India (MCI) Exam which is also known as “Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE)”. FMGE is a licensure examination for those Indian students who have pursued MBBS from abroad. FMGE is conducted twice a year and you will require 50% to pass.
MCI or FMGE Examination is compulsory till now and is conducted by the National Board of Examination (NBE) in India. Foreign medical graduates are required to write the FMGE to become eligible to practice here.
The success rate of FMGE is extremely low and competition is very steep. Here we have mentioned some of the popular pathways to study as well as practice medicine in select countries. However, you can always come back to practice in India after being trained as a medic abroad but FMGE is a mandate before you start practicing here.
Important Highlights
Medical School | Total Applicants | First Year Enrollment | Minimum MCAT |
---|---|---|---|
Dalhousie U | 1183 | 108 | 503 |
McGill U | Not available | 184 | Not Available |
McMaster | 5271 | 205 | Not available |
Memorial University of Newfoundland | 700 | 80-84 | None |
Northern Ontario School of Medicine | 2130 | 64 | Not Required |
Queen’s U | Not Available | 100 | Not Available |
University of Calgary | 1600 | 155 | No Minimum |
University of Manitoba | 1000 | 112 | minimums have not been established |
University of Ottawa | Not Available | 164 | Not Required but recommended |
University of Saskatchewan | Not available | 100 | 506 |
University of Toronto | 3000 | 259 | 125 on each Section |
University of British Columbia | 2322 | 288 | 124 on each section |
University of Western Ontario | Not posted | Not posted | 384 |
MCAT or No MCAT?
“Without MCAT” should not be a choice for you as international students are mostly judged through MCAT scores in Canada with the exception of 5 colleges.
Out of these 5 exceptions, 3 schools are either only francophone (French speaking) or bilingual. Other than these few, all medical colleges in Canada require or recommend MCAT.
These 5 exceptions are:
- The University of Ottawa
- Montréal Université
- Laval Université
- Sherbrooke Université
- Northern Ontario School of Medicine
2 further exceptions:
- McGill University
- Acceptance rate for McGill is highly inflated because McGill loves accepting international students!
- MCAT is optional here only if you’ve obtained a basis-of-admission (pre-med) degree from a Canadian university
- McMaster University
- Selection committee uses only 4th section of the MCAT exam for admission
- However, all applicants are required to write MCAT prior to the application deadline

Medical License in Canada
After you graduate from a Canadian medical school, or while completing your degree (within 12 months of the date of the exam), you have to take both the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) Qualifying Examinations (MCCQE) Part I and Part II, in order to qualify and become a Licentiate of MCC (LMCC) and get a full license to practice medicine in Canada.
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- MCCQE Part I is a qualifying factor for Part II.
- For appearing for MCCQE Part II, you must have passed your PGT – 12 months of Postgraduate Clinical Medical Training.
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Coming from non-Canadian medical colleges?
After graduating from any non-Canadian medical school as listed in the “World Directory of Medical Schools”, you have to take the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination if you want to practice in Canada but only after completing a residency program in the country.
The NAC exam is a one-day exam to enter a Canadian residency program for entrance into postgraduate training in Canada.
Final Thoughts
There you go! You have all the stuff you wanted. Do you want to make a career decision now?
Not settled yet?
Check this page. It has all entry pathways to medical colleges in Canada, the NAC exam and more.
In case, you feel indecisive or confused, do dial us up. It is often useful to reach out to expert counselors for addressing individual issues. iDreamCareer experts are always ready to help young minds like you from 9th class, 10th class, class 11, class 12 with an aim to select your most-suited career choices.
Some pages you’d need:
- The best medical schools
- World Directory of Medical Schools
- “MCAT” – What’s on the Exam? (Detailed Syllabus)
- Canadian Medical School Profiles – Oxford Seminars
- University of Toronto – Guide on Canadian medical licensing
- Oxford Seminars – MCAT Test Preparation (Canada)
- Registering for MCAT
- Pre- Health Majors: SAT/ ACT cut-off scores for University of South Florida
- NAC official portal
- MCCQE Part 1 official portal
- MCCQE Part 2 official portal
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With a Master’s in Biophysics-Biostatistics, Sreenanda acquired professional experience in computational proteomics of human molecules. She is currently working with the Research and Data Team at iDreamCareer.