McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine offers a three-year MD program across its Hamilton, Niagara and Waterloo campuses. Applicants need qualifying undergraduate coursework, a minimum GPA, an eligible MCAT CARS score and Casper. The program uses problem-based learning and early patient exposure.
- Program
- Undergraduate Medical Program
- Credential
- MD
- Location
- Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Casper
- Required · CSP-10211
- Next deadline
- October 1, 2026 (OMSAS application, payment, references and academic-document deadline (4:30 pm ET))
- Interview
- Multiple mini interview (MMI)
- Seats
- 217 targeted places for 2027
- Length
- Three years
Casper Requirement for McMaster University Medicine Undergraduate
McMaster University Medicine Undergraduate requires Casper for the 2026-2027 cycle.
- Test to book
- Casper 2 - Canadian Professional Health Sciences · CSP-10211
- Languages
- English
- Applicant ID to enter
- OUAC/OMSAS reference number
Check available Casper test dates in your Acuity Insights account at takecasper.com.
Select McMaster University, Undergraduate Medicine, for score distribution. Casper is required each application cycle; use Acuity Insights to check available sittings and the distribution deadline.
Casper format
Casper is an online, open-response situational judgment test run by Acuity Insights. The current format has 11 scenarios (4 video-response and 7 typed-response) with 2 questions each and takes about 65 to 85 minutes, including optional breaks. Typed-response scenarios allow 3.5 minutes to answer both questions.
Practice with Bright Doctor's Casper Question Bank, featuring 100+ scenarios and 300+ expert responses.
McMaster University Medicine Undergraduate Application Deadlines 2026-2027
- Apply through
- OMSAS
- Application fee
- CAD $220 OMSAS fee plus CAD $135 McMaster fee
| What | When |
|---|---|
| OMSAS application, payment, references and academic-document deadline (4:30 pm ET) | October 1, 2026upcoming |
| MCAT scores received by OMSAS | October 21, 2026upcoming |
| Separate MD/PhD application, if applicable | November 1, 2026upcoming |
| Final transcript for conditional offers | June 30, 2027upcoming |
| Year 1 health-screening forms for incoming students | July 15, 2027upcoming |
| Police check with Vulnerable Sector Screening for incoming students | July 31, 2027upcoming |
| Basic Life Support certification for incoming students | July 31, 2027upcoming |
McMaster University Medicine Undergraduate Admissions Statistics
Period: 2026 applicant count and 2027 entering-class target
- Seats / class size: 217 targeted places for 2027
- Applicants: 5,797 applicants for 2026
Applicant count and target places cover different years; neither is an admission outcome.
Eligibility Requirements for McMaster University Medicine Undergraduate
- Degree / credits
Complete at least 15 full courses or 30 half courses of undergraduate university coursework, or a combination, by May of the entry year. A full course load is not required; a completed baccalaureate earned in under three years by the application deadline can also qualify.
- Residency
At least 95% of Ontario medical-program admissions are reserved for people ordinarily resident in Ontario; eligible applicants from elsewhere may compete for the remainder.
- Citizenship
Canadian citizens, Canadian permanent residents and protected persons under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act are eligible; international applicants without an eligible status are not.
- Language proficiency
Applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English and submit application materials in English. Applicants whose first language is not English must satisfy McMaster’s English-language proficiency requirements.
Admission pathways
- Facilitated Indigenous Admissions Program (FIAP): Eligible Indigenous applicants submit a separate FIAP self-identification application; approved applicants may defer their qualifying MCAT score under FIAP rules.
- Black-Equity Stream (BESt): Eligible Black applicants self-identify in OMSAS and submit a supplementary personal essay.
Verify prerequisites on the official McMaster UGME website; requirements emphasize broad academic preparation without rigid course lists.
Other requirements
- References: Three online OMSAS Confidential Assessment Forms.
- Transcripts: Official records from every postsecondary institution attended; qualifying international coursework may require a WES assessment.
- FIAP application: Separate self-identification application for applicants seeking FIAP consideration.
- Graduate-program letter: Applicants enrolled in graduate study arrange a letter from their supervisor, committee member or department chair, unless that person is a referee.
- Incoming-student health screening and police check: Complete Year 1 health-screening forms and a police check including Vulnerable Sector Screening.
- Basic Life Support: Incoming students provide current Basic Life Support Training for Health Care Providers certification.
Selection Factors McMaster University Considers
GPA
- How it is calculated
Simple average of undergraduate degree-credit courses, with all years equally weighted; summer and supplementary grades count, foreign-exchange grades do not, and pass/credit grades count toward credits but not GPA.
- Minimum
- 3.0 overall on the 4.0 scale by the application deadline
- Competitive
- A higher GPA improves an applicant’s chances; McMaster does not publish a competitive GPA threshold in its current requirements.
The 3.0 minimum establishes eligibility, not an interview guarantee.
Admissions tests
- MCAT (required): Write the MCAT before the application deadline. A minimum 123 CARS score is required; other sections are not used in selection. A test written in 2021 or later is eligible for this cycle, and the most recent attempt is used. Approved FIAP applicants may defer providing a qualifying score under McMaster’s FIAP rules.
Experience and volunteer hours
Not required.
McMaster’s published admission requirements specify no minimum volunteer or paid-work hours.
Supplementary application
Complete the OMSAS autobiographical sketch with a verifier for each entry and arrange three Confidential Assessment Forms. BESt applicants also submit a personal essay through OMSAS School Submissions; it is not scored but informs stream suitability.
How applicants are ranked
CARS is used in both the interview-invitation and full-file-review formulae; completed graduate degrees receive specified additional consideration for interview selection. McMaster assesses academic performance, readiness for medicine and program suitability, then uses a master rank list for offers regardless of campus preference.
Interview Format at McMaster University
Format: Multiple mini interview (MMI)
Multiple Mini Interview with brief stations assessing CanMEDS roles through ethical scenarios and behavioral questions. Interviewers follow a manual outlining expectations for each station. Preparation involves practicing concise, structured responses under time pressure.
- Who is invited
- Approximately 570 applicants selected for interview
- When
- March or April 2027
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Start Practicing FreeCurriculum at McMaster University Medicine Undergraduate
- Program length
- Three years
- Structure
Years 1–2 foundational sciences via problem-based learning, with a horizontal Professional Competencies curriculum spanning all years. Year 3 is a 63-week clinical phase.
- Campuses
- Hamilton, Niagara Regional Campus, Waterloo Regional Campus
Innovative, competency-based curriculum guided by CanMEDS frameworks, with early clinical exposure. Year 3 rotations include medicine, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, family medicine, anesthesia, psychiatry, pediatrics, and more. Competency assessments draw from CanMEDS and professional guidelines. Graduates enter residency one year sooner than traditional four-year MD paths. Collaborative learning is intended to minimize toxicity.
Campus and facilities
McMaster operates three MD campuses: Hamilton, Niagara Regional Campus and Waterloo Regional Campus. The curriculum is identical at all three.
Tuition and Funding at McMaster University
McMaster publishes professional-program tuition by academic year. Consult the fee schedule applicable to your year of enrollment; an accepted offer requires a non-refundable CAD $1,000 deposit applied to Year 1 tuition.
McMaster University's Mission and Values
The program pioneers problem-based learning and competency-based assessment. The curriculum aligns with CanMEDS competencies from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, focusing on professional roles like communicator, collaborator, and leader.
What Applicants Are Saying
Matriculated students describe a culture that prioritizes authenticity over conventional premed activities, with one noting they omitted 300+ hours in a premed club from their application to reflect their true self. Students report success on the autobiographical sketch by prioritizing depth over volume. Students note entering residency a year earlier with ample scheduling freedom, and report a supportive atmosphere with low toxicity levels compared to broader medicine, emphasizing work-life balance in the distributed model.
Shared by applicants and students on forums and communities. It is anecdotal, not official program information.
How to Prepare Your McMaster University Medicine Undergraduate Application
- Check McMaster’s GPA calculation and confirm the minimum GPA and CARS score.
- Complete the OMSAS sketch with verifiers and arrange three referees.
- Book Casper 2 for McMaster Undergraduate Medicine and check Acuity Insights for sittings and score distribution.
- Practise timed MMI stations.
- Check whether an additional pathway application applies to you.
More About McMaster University Medicine Undergraduate
- School
Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine
- Curriculum model
Problem-based learning and competency-based assessment since inception as an innovative model in undergraduate medical education
Frequently Asked Questions About McMaster University Medicine Undergraduate
Does McMaster Medicine require the MCAT?
Yes. CARS must be at least 123; only CARS is used in selection, and the most recent eligible MCAT attempt counts.
What Casper test does McMaster Medicine require?
Casper 2 - Canadian Professional Health Sciences (CSP-10211).
What GPA do I need?
At least a 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA on the 4.0 scale.
What is the interview format?
McMaster uses a Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI).
Is McMaster Medicine a three-year program?
Yes. The MD program runs for three academic years.
Can international students apply?
The regular MD eligibility list is limited to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons.
What happens during clinical training?
The three-year curriculum includes early patient exposure and sequential learning blocks.
How competitive is admission?
Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee an interview; McMaster expects to interview about 570 applicants for a targeted class of 217.
Sources
- forums.premed101.com: 85280 questions about applying to mcmaster
- ugme.healthsci.mcmaster.ca: Class of 2027 Statistics
- owlmd.ca: mcmaster
- ouac.on.ca: omsas mcmaster
- academiccalendars.romcmaster.ca: preview program
- ugme.healthsci.mcmaster.ca: our curriculum
- hslmcmaster.libguides.com: curriculum
- ugme.healthsci.mcmaster.ca
- journals.co.za: AJA20785135 24505
- ugme.healthsci.mcmaster.ca: interviewer manual mmi websiteversion
- studentaffairs.jhu.edu: MMI extra1
- studentsuccess.mcmaster.ca: multiple mini interviews mmi
Last updated: September 26, 2026