Selection Criteria
The goal of the admissions process of the University of Toronto Medical School is to select individuals who will enable the Faculty to accomplish its Strategic Plan to graduate superb and compassionate medical practitioners, scientists, and scholars, and to develop the future leaders in medicine in Canada.
Our limit for admission to the first year of the medical program is 259 students. However, the number of applicants we receive each year is around 3000. In screening applicants, the Faculty considers all available information. Those who meet the basic admission requirements and appear to have the best chance of succeeding in the medical course and the medical profession are ultimately selected. Each application is considered on its own merit, consistent with the University of Toronto statement on "Policies and Principles for Admission to the University of Toronto". Preference is not given to individuals enrolled in programs at the University of Toronto.
The admissions process identifies the best possible candidates for medical school through assessing each applicant's overall achievements, including those in academic and non-academic areas. It is understood that academic excellence is necessary, but not sufficient, to ensure success as a physician. As a multitude of factors are used to determine candidates selected, and as the applicant pool varies in qualifications from year to year, there will be an overlap in the distribution of GPAs, MCAT scores, and other criteria in accepted and declined candidates, and not all candidates who meet minimum academic requirements will be offered a position.
The University of Toronto will consider applications from students who have completed a minimum of three years (or are in the process of completing their third year) of undergraduate study, and also from students who have completed or are in the final stages of completing a graduate degree subsequent to their undergraduate degree. There is no single background that is ideal preparation for the practice of medicine. Students with university education in any discipline are encouraged to apply. Students should follow a program of study that will offer an alternative to medicine should they not be accepted. Medicine requires individuals with strong backgrounds in the social sciences, humanities, physical sciences and life sciences. The ideal candidate will have completed a rigourous and coherent course of study, which will provide evidence of an independent, self directed, and mature learning style.
The ideal candidate will also have evidence of outstanding achievement in non-academic areas. This will be judged by review of the applicant's essays and autobiographical sketch, including documentation of duration and impact of non-academic achievements, supported by reference letters. The admissions committee assesses non-academic qualities, including altruism, reliability, responsibility, perseverance, creativity, and leadership, through this process. The interview may also be used to assess these qualities.