Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (MDCM) Medicine - McGill University

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences offers a four-year undergraduate medical program leading to the conferral of an M.D., C.M. (Medicinæ Doctorem et Chirurgiæ Magistrum) degree. The degree designation reflects the rich history of McGill University as home to Canada's first Faculty of Medicine and the original distinction between Medicine & Surgery colleges.

The 4-year MDCM program is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and by the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC).

Admission requirements:

Students seeking to register into this program must, at a minimum:

• adhere to the academic standards and essential skills outlined,
• meet the degree requirements; The degree used as the basis of admission must be successfully completed and conferred by July 31 of the year of entry to the first year of the M.D.,C.M. program.
• meet the basic science requirement: Grades from the science prerequisites will be considered in the selection process. Any of the prerequisites completed during the undergraduate studies (basis of admission degree) will contribute to the overall GPA. All basic science prerequisite courses must meet a minimum grade requirement; the GPA is not weighted in the selection process, and up to 3 courses can be in progress during the year and be submitted by May 31 prior to the beginning of the program. Also, students should adhere to the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) policy.
• adhere to the standards of language proficiency. The equivalent Canadian Language Benchmark level is approximately 6 to 8; The Common European Framework of Reference level is approximately B2 to C1.
• adhere to the immunization standards. Healthcare program students are required by law to submit proof of vaccination before starting the first year of their program.
• clear the security check,
• and meet the information technology requirements. Admitted students are expected to have frequent and regular access to, a personal computer with word processing/office suite software, with a web browser (Flash-capable), approximately 50 GB of free storage, and Wi-Fi connection capabilities. On-campus, students may have access to restricted computer laboratories, laser printers, and limited workstations for temporary assistance.

This program is open to applicants in the following applicant categories:

• Québec residents with a university degree 
• Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada (who are not Québec residents) with a university degree
• International applicants with a university degree 
• Indigenous applicants

Curriculum Structure: (200-204 credits)

Conferral of the M.D., C.M. degree follows the successful completion of the 4 curricular components of the MD, CM Program: Fundamentals of Medicine and Dentistry (year 1 and the first part of year 2), Transition to Clinical Practice (second part of year 2), Clerkship (years 3 and 4) and Physicianship (longitudinal throughout all 4 years). Program objectives are based on clinical presentations and competencies essential to the practice of medicine, as defined by Canadian authorities (e.g. Medical Council of Canada, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada). Graduates are expected to be able to function responsibly, in a supervised clinical setting, at the level of an “undifferentiated" physician 

The M.D., C.M. graduate may apply for a license only to practice medicine in a supervised (postgraduate residency training program) setting, and not for independent practice.

Fundamentals of Medicine and Dentistry (FMD) – Year 1 & First Half of Year 2

During the Fundamentals of Medicine and Dentistry (FMD) component, students learn about the normal function, disease, and therapeutics using an integrated systems-based approach. Teaching methods include lectures, laboratory sessions, small group teaching, assignments, and independent studying. Alongside learning about the basic science relevant to understanding health and disease, students participate in the Longitudinal Family Medicine Experience (LFME) which allows for early clinical exposure in a family medicine setting.

Transition to Clinical Practice (TCP) – Second Half of Year 2

The Transition to Clinical Practice (TCP) component helps students transition from principally class-based learning to active and self-directed learning in the clinical setting. Teaching methods include clinical apprentice sessions and clinical tutorials, lectures, small group teaching, assignments, and independent studying. 

Students consolidate history-taking and physical examination skills, develop clinical reasoning skills, and formulate approaches to common clinical presentations. Clinical disciplines highlighted in TCP include Internal Medicine, Neurology, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, Anesthesia, Radiology, and Ophthalmology. 

In addition to enhancing their clinical knowledge and skills, students complete the Community Health Alliance Program (CHAP), which allows for students to benefit from service-learning and have a short Transition to Clerkship course to prepare them for participation in inpatient care in clerkship.  

Clerkship – Year 3 & Year 4

Clerkship component courses are aligned with the primary goal of the MD CM Program: to graduate physicians who have attained the requisite knowledge as defined by the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) Clinical Presentations and possess the core and fundamental clinical attributes and skills needed to serve society in the practice of the medical profession. 

During the clerkship, students are actively engaged in the care of patients as part of healthcare teams, with appropriate supervision. All students complete required clinical clerkship courses in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Geriatric Medicine, and Emergency Medicine. 

Students also have clerkship courses in Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Putting It All Together: Basic Science, Medicine and Society, and Transition to Residency. Students have ample time for clinical and/or research electives in order to further their own learning goals and career interests.

A group of 15 students will have the opportunity to complete their Year 3 clerkship at the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO) in Gatineau, Quebec. 

Physicianship

A physician fulfills two roles in service to the patient: that of a professional and that of a healer. These two roles, which are served simultaneously, are referred to as Physicianship. The Physicianship component offers courses throughout the MDCM Program: 

• Clinical Method 1 (Year 1); 
• Clinical Method 2, Mindful Medical Practice, and Medical Ethics and Health Law (Year 2); 
• Formation of the Professional & Healer (Year 3). 

The longitudinal Physician Apprenticeship curriculum runs throughout the four-year MDCM Program. Students are assigned in groups of 5 or 6 to a Physician Apprenticeship group, led by an Osler Fellow who functions as a mentor and teacher during the MDCM Program.

Tuition Fees:

Tuition fees for international students at the MD,CM program are $19,210 - $36,879 per year.

Scholarships:

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences offers a number of Entrance Scholarships annually to newly admitted first-year MDCM (including joint program) students on the basis of overall achievement as evidenced in the admissions application. All admitted students are automatically considered for entrance scholarships. There is no form to complete. Scholarships are allocated at the discretion of the Faculty of Medicine and according to available funds.