Admissions FAQ

No. The TMU School of Medicine accepts applications from students in any discipline.

The TMU School of Medicine has intentionally refrained from mandating a specific program of study or undergraduate prerequisite coursework for candidates applying to the MD program in order to attract a diverse range of applicants with varied educational experiences.

The TMU School of Medicine will use a multifaceted, holistic approach to identify students who possess the necessary academic capabilities, interpersonal skills and personal attributes required to excel in the medical profession. A range of academic and non-academic requirements will be considered. More information on application requirements and the selection process are available on our website.

No, the MCAT is not an application requirement for the TMU School of Medicine.

The MCAT has been widely recognized as a barrier to accessing medical education that is also not an accurate predictor of professional acumen and skill. TMU is one of seven Canadian medical schools that does not require the MCAT.

Our GPA minimum requirements are in line with the most prestigious medical schools in Canada. In addition, three of the six operating medical schools in Ontario have a minimum GPA requirement that is lower than TMU’s. It's important to note that achieving a minimum GPA does not guarantee admission.

No, the CASPer test is not an application requirement for the TMU School of Medicine. All applicants meeting academic requirements will be invited to participate in an online asynchronous assessment hosted by a third-party vendor, Kira Talent.

Applicants of any age who meet the TMU School of Medicine's application requirements are welcome to apply.

The TMU School of Medicine is not accepting applications from international students at this time.

No, applicants who have previously attended TMU are not given preference in the application process.

TMU does not reserve specific seats for in-province or out-of-province applicants in the General Admissions Stream or the Indigenous, Black, and Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathways.

The TMU School of Medicine currently offers a pathway in medicine only. TMU's Faculty of Community Services offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing as well as many other undergraduate and graduate programs in healthcare professions.

No, the school does not offer an MD/PhD program at this time.

No, on-campus housing will not be available at the school building. We will provide all accepted candidates with housing information, options and resources.

Yes. Applicants who have completed studies outside of Canada or the United States must have their academic credentials/foreign transcripts assessed for Canadian equivalency by World Education Services (WES) (external link) . Further details regarding the assessment of international grades are available on the OMSAS website (external link) .

Yes. Completion of a minimum four-year undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in any program/discipline is required prior to the start of Year 1 of the MD Program. OMSAS must receive your final transcripts by June 30, 2025. Submitting an online transcript request by this date does not satisfy the deadline requirement.

At the end of the academic year, if you are still being considered for admission to the TMU School of Medicine and are currently attending university or college, you must arrange with your registrar’s office to forward a copy of your final transcript directly to OMSAS.

The GPA submitted with your application is your OMSAS GPA. OMSAS provides detailed information about how the OMSAS GPA is calculated on their website. (external link)  If you have questions after reviewing this page, please contact OMSAS (external link) .

All undergraduate courses and grades, including failed, incomplete and supplementary courses, and courses extra to degree requirements are included in the OMSAS GPA Calculation. Graduate courses are not normally included in the OMSAS GPA.

Please refer to the OUAC/OMSAS website (external link)  for more details on how the OMSAS GPA is calculated. If you have questions after reviewing this page, please contact OMSAS directly.

No, GPAs are not rounded. A minimum OMSAS GPA of 3.3 is required in order to apply.

Completion of a minimum four-year undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in any program/discipline is required for all applicants prior to the start of Year 1 of the MD Program.

The TMU School of Medicine does not give preference to applicants who have completed graduate degrees.

Reports from World Education Services (WES) should be sent directly to OMSAS by WES before the application deadline on Tuesday, December 2 at 4:30 pm ET.

Like all Ontario medical schools, the TMU School of Medicine can only accept evaluations of international transcripts from WES. TMU must receive transcripts evaluated by WES by the application deadline.

If you have met the admission requirements for the TMU School of Medicine with your Canadian degree, you do not have to have your transcripts evaluated by WES. You must have your international transcript assessed by WES if:

• You have not met the minimum course number criteria using your Canadian or US data. 
• You require inclusion of your international education data. 

However, please note that you must still submit official transcripts for each university, college, CEGEP, junior college, graduate school or other postsecondary institution you currently attend, previously attended or withdrew from.

WES evaluations must be sent directly to OMSAS by WES and must be received by the application deadline.

Yes. Although graduate studies are not factored into GPA calculations and completion of your graduate studies is not a condition of acceptance, applicants are still required to provide any/all transcripts and to forward transcripts from graduate studies still in progress if they are still under consideration at the end of the academic year.

Applicants to the TMU School of Medicine's MD program must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents (landed immigrants) of Canada by the application deadline to be considered for admission to our program. Permanent residents must submit a copy of the front and back of their current/valid permanent resident card by the application deadline. Canadian citizens are not required to submit citizenship documentation at the time of application, but will also be required to provide such documentation as a condition of acceptance/registration.

Refugees who have obtained permanent resident status in Canada are welcome to apply.

Applicants must have obtained permanent residency in order to apply to the MD program. Proof of permanent residency must be provided as part of the application process.

Applicants who have received confirmation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that they have been granted permanent residency but are awaiting their permanent resident card may submit their IRCC-issued Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document by the application deadline. However, a valid permanent resident card will be required to accept an offer of admission.

The MD Program is only offered in English; therefore, TMU School of Medicine MD students must be proficient in spoken and written English. Although English language proficiency testing is not an application requirement, applicants’ written and spoken communication skills will be evaluated in the admissions process.

You may use shorthands in your ABS at your discretion provided it does not impact readability. You are also encouraged to provide information in the ABS using point form.

You can answer these questions in whatever format you feel is best based on the task.

The TMU School of Medicine understands that because we are off cycle with other schools, certain elements of the application will be locked for those who have already applied to medical schools this cycle and this will be taken into account.

If your PR card expired in 2024 and you are currently awaiting renewal, you may submit your most recent PR card along with confirmation from IRCC that you have applied for renewal. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, a valid permanent resident card will be required to accept an offer of admission.

Applicants who have received confirmation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that they have been granted permanent residency but are awaiting their permanent resident card may submit their IRCC-issued Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document by the application deadline. However, a valid permanent resident card will be required to accept an offer of admission.

The four clusters were used to guide the four supplementary questions that all applicants must complete. Each question reflects one of these clusters.

We understand that applicants who applied to other Ontario medical schools this cycle may be unable to access the ABS. These applicants can complete the  (PDF file) optional TMU ABS Addendum to satisfy this requirement and submit up to five ABS entries. It's important to note that ABS submissions are evaluated on quality rather than quantity.

Yes. All of an applicant's supplementary questions will be reviewed by the same reviewers.

Yes. Note that you are encouraged to select referees who have extensive personal knowledge of you and are not family members or friends.

No. If you have lived experience of more than one equity-deserving group, you can submit verification for any one eligibility group of your choosing. The verification documentation you choose will not affect your application.

You may choose to apply through the General Admissions Stream OR through one of the three admissions pathways (Indigenous, Black or Equity-Deserving). Should you apply through one of the three pathways and be deemed ineligible for that pathway, your application will automatically be considered in the General Admissions Stream should you meet the minimum requirements.

Should you apply through an admissions pathway and be deemed ineligible for that pathway, your application will automatically be considered in the General Admissions Stream should you meet the minimum requirements.

The Indigenous Admissions Pathway was created to increase Indigenous respresenation in medicine and train future leaders in Indigenous Health in Canada. If you have Indigenous ancestry and are able to support your eligibility for the pathway as outlined in the application requirements, you are eligible to apply. The School of Medicine recognises that North American land borders are a colonial contstruct post-contact; as long as a potential applicant meets residency status/citizenship critiera of the school, they may be considered as above.

For the purposes of the TMU School of Medicine's Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway, the terms “racialized people” includes people who are sometimes referred to as people of colour, or visible or racial minorities, who are not White.

This terminology recognizes that, through the process of racialization, Western societies have created ideas of race as real, different and unequal, which negatively impacts individuals’ economic, political and social lives if they are not seen as White. The three largest racialized groups in Canada identified in the 2016 Census are South Asian, Chinese and Black.

The term includes Indigenous people from outside of Canada, such as Maori people in New Zealand.

The School of Medicine offers targeted pathways for applicants who identify as members of the Indigenous and Black communities.

We recognize that there are some identity groups for which a supporting document is not available nor appropriate. In these cases, applicants may  (PDF file) submit a signed letter attesting to their eligibility.

While we have established equity pathways, similar to other schools in the province, we have no quotas and there have never been quotas around who we will accept. We understand that aspirational language on the website was causing confusion on this point, and that language has been removed.

Applicants with relevant lived experiences related to their identities may elect to apply through the Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway if they wish to do so. Pathway applicants who are deemed ineligible for their chosen pathway will automatically have their application considered in the General Admissions Stream.

The TMU School of Medicine is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible application process. We strive to ensure all candidates feel respected, valued, and supported, aiming to provide equitable access to our medical program by facilitating the necessary accommodations for candidates with documented disabilities.

TMU values diversity in its applicant pool. We seek to have representation from many equity-deserving communities, including those with health conditions and disabilities, and applicants identifying with these groups may consider selecting the Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway.

A list of the types of documentation candidates may use to verify their eligibility is available here.

We are pleased to share that accommodations are available to candidates for the admissions process, and that comprehensive supports will be available throughout the academic program.

The TMU School of Medicine is prioritizing the inclusion of groups for which there is strong evidence of underrepresentation in the medical field. There is significant evidence that members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community are underrepresented among physicians; for this reason, individuals who identify as members of this community are eligible for the Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway.

We recognize that there are some identity groups for which a supporting document is not available nor appropriate. In these cases, applicants may  (PDF file) submit a signed letter attesting to their eligibility.

We recognize that there are many people for whom their life circumstances may have created challenges that have impacted their educational journey. The specific category, in addition to many others in the Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway, aims to make a space for applicants to expand on how their life circumstances may have impacted their academic success and/or influenced their interest in serving underrepresented communities.

The TMU School of Medicine's Equity-Deserving Admissions Pathway aims to create a space for applicants who have experienced sustained economic hardship that has created barriers to applying and/or being admitted to medical school. A list of the types of documentation applicants may submit is provided here; however, this list is provided as a guide and is not exhaustive.

Yes, you may provide verification documentation for your parents/guardians if you are still listed as a dependent. Please be sure to redact any confidential information from this documentation before submission.

Our Indigenous, Black, and Equity-Deserving admissions pathways will also begin to assess pathway eligibility during the Initial Screening stage of the selection process.

As outlined in the Policy on Applications for Advanced Standing/Transfer to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program, the MD program will not accept any application for advanced standing to the TMU MD program regardless of the applicant’s present or past medical school enrollment or medical education.

The four-year curriculum in the TMU MD program is arranged in three phases across four years and integrated throughout; the program must be completed in its entirety in order for students to achieve its learning outcomes. As such, TMU will not accept any application for advanced standing/ transfer to the TMU MD program regardless of the applicant’s present or past medical school enrollment per the Policy on Applications for Advanced Standing/Transfer to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program.

Scholarships/awards will be made available through the TMU Student Awards and Scholarships Office to help support TMU medical students with financial need, with a primary focus on students admitted through our Indigenous, Black, and Equity-Deserving admissions pathways, as well as those who demonstrate exceptional aptitude in healthcare innovation and leadership. Guidance and support to apply for scholarships and awards will also be available to our students.

Additional information around tuition, fees, financial aid/Ontario Student Assistance Program, and payment details will be communicated electronically/provided to successful applicants.

Yes. As with any program, a student may choose to work while pursuing their degree. Please note that this is a rigorous program that does require a full-time committment.

The Ontario Medical School Application Fee Waiver Program was developed to support medical school applicants facing financial barriers to applying to medical school. The program subsidizes the OMSAS application service fee and application costs for up to three (3) Ontario medical schools for qualifying applicants.

Details around eligibility criteria and how to apply to be considered for the fee waiver program are available on the program website (external link) .

Applicants who were already granted a fee waiver for the current application cycle will automatically have their waiver applied to their application to the TMU School of Medicine MD Program.

The Ontario government recently announced  (external link) that they will expand the Learn and Stay Grant in order to train more family physicians. TMU is awaiting further details on this announcement and will share them when they are available.

The TMU MD program is an in-person program. Although select elements within the program may have virtual components, there are no options to complete the MD program virtually/remotely.

The TMU School of Medicine's admissions process is designed to identify and select applicants interested in primary care practice, particularly in medically underserved areas such as the Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities. We also aim to prepare our graduates to embrace generalism and to prioritize primary care. However, graduates of the TMU School of Medicine will be prepared to enter any medical residency program of their choosing. We hope that many of our graduates will choose to complete their residencies at TMU, but they will not be obligated to do so.

TMU currently offers the following R1 residency programs, with a focus on Family Medicine and high-demand specialties. More programs may be added in the future.

• Anesthesia
• Emergency Medicine
• Family Medicine
• General Surgery
• Internal Medicine
• Pediatrics
• Psychiatry

TMU MD students will have exposure to a wide variety of specialty areas in both clinic and hospital environments. Our unique 17-month Clerkship experience offers longitudinal placements in primary care clinics and hospital rotations in a wide variety of specialties. Selective and elective opportunities will also allow students to gain additional exposure to other specialties.

View our Academic Calendar to learn more about the curriculum and course offerings.

TMU is focused on primary care, which is much broader than just family medicine. Graduates will be prepared to enter residency in the specialty of their choice, whether at TMU or beyond. TMU will offer 16 residency programs beginning in July of next year. In addition to Family Medicine and Family Medicine-Enhanced Skills programs, residency offerings include high-demand specialties like emergency medicine, surgery and pediatrics.

The MD program is a full-time in-person program. Detailed scheduling information will be shared with successful candidates.

Yes, the School of Medicine will accept applications from students across Canada. A connection to the Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities is not required to apply. We look forward to welcoming a diverse cohort of students committed to serving communities such as these, both from the region and beyond.

We assess regional connection within the supplementary question section of the application where we value both a connection to the region, as well as an interest in serving in culturally diverse communities such as these.

The school will use a multifaceted, holistic approach to identify students possessing the necessary academic capabilities, interpersonal skills and personal attributes required to excel in medicine.

For the purposes of assessing regional connection, the TMU School of Medicine defines Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities as follows:

• Peel: Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon
• Bolton
• Dufferin
• Halton: Milton, Burlington, Oakville, Halton Hills
• North Etobicoke
• West Woodbridge

Please refer to our map (external link)  of the School of Medicine's defined boundaries for the Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities. Note that these boundaries are firm for the purposes of regional connection and no exceptions will be made.

Yes, you can submit multiple documents if desired. Documents can be submitted individually or combined into a single file. Please ensure that any confidential information is redacted before submitting.

If you have multiple connections to Brampton/Peel and surrounding communities, we ask that you verify the one that you feel is most significant. It is only necessary to verify one connection.

Letters verifying your involvement with an organization as a volunteer or employee should confirm the organization's location, the length of time you were involved with the organization and the nature of your involvement.

No. All applications will be reviewed after the application deadline of December 2nd, in keeping with the school's multifaceted, holistic approach to identify students possessing the necessary academic capabilities, interpersonal skills and personal attributes required to excel in medicine.

Upon applying to the TMU School of Medicine’s MD Program, applicants will receive additional details and next steps via email, including a link to submit an MD Admissions Accommodation request. The deadline for submitting these requests is December 6, 2024.