When I applied and received a medical school acceptance in 2021, there were 25,515 applications from 7,915 applicants in Ontario alone. Ultimately, only 971 students secured one of Ontario’s highly coveted medical school spots, representing just 12.3% of all applicants.

While the statistics themselves are already demoralizing, the reality is that the process is daunting and confusing for all students. The process is especially difficult for those without support. It was only through the guidance from my peers and mentors that I felt comfortable navigating through the intricacies of the Ontario Medical School Application process, and I don’t believe I would have had the same result without the support I received. Many pre-med students often do not have this support, and so I hope some of these tips will provide necessary resources, and serve as a starting to point to understanding the requirements to getting those acceptances.

What is OMSAS?

OMSAS is the Ontario Medical School Application Service, which is the portal in which you upload necessary documents and apply for the 6 Ontario medical schools:

Each program has its own admission requirements, curriculums, strengths, and weaknesses. I have attached links for each of the school’s medical programs so that you can better understand the requirements for each program.

Review Key OMSAS Deadlines

There are numerous key OMSAS deadlines, and these will change annually. Put all the important dates into your calendar. For 2024, these are the important dates:

August 22, 2024, at 11:59 pm (ET): Deadline to submit your application to the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada for the Ontario Medical School Application Fee Waiver Program.
September 15, 2024, at 4:30 pm (ET): Recommended date to send references to your referees by, to allow enough time for them to submit their reference by the deadline.
October 1, 2024, at 4:30 pm (ET): Deadline to submit your OMSAS application. This is a strict deadline–there are no exceptions. This is also the deadline for OMSAS to receive: transcripts and academic documents, references, all payments.
October 21, 2024: Deadline for OMSAS to receive your MCAT scores. Note: It takes 2-3 business days for OMSAS to receive your scores after they are released from the Association of American Medical Colleges. You should request that your scores be sent no later than October 17, 2024.
May 13, 2025: First round offers of admission are sent out.
June 30, 2025: Deadline for OMSAS to receive your final transcripts.

Step 1: Make an Account, and Review OMSAS Application Requirements

First, register and create your OMSAS account. You will need to put some identifying information and create your own username and password. After submitting the registration form, check your email inbox to verify your account using the verification link.

Your application requires generally 5 components: eligibility, academic performance, autobiographical sketch (ABS)/essays, CASPer, and reference letters. I recommend that you work on these components in separate documents (e.g. on Google Drive, Notion, Microsoft Word, Pages, etc). In doing so, you can copy and paste pieces into the appropriate sections without worrying about losing your work.

Components of the OMSAS Application

Eligibility: Different schools have different requirements in terms of number of academic years that must be completed before being able to apply. Some schools may require applicants to have specific basic science or humanities courses completed.

Academic Performance: Academic performance is evaluated based on GPA and MCAT. Almost all programs will evaluate GPA. Not every school will use MCAT. Each school will have different minimum GPA and MCAT requirements to apply, as well as stats that are “competitive”.

Autobiographical Sketch/Essays: The ABS is a list of “work and activities”. Students can list up to 32 unique activities in 6 different categories (employment, volunteering, extracurriculars, awards and accomplishments, research, and other) that you have done since the age of 16. Students will have to indicate the number of hours dedicated to each activity, as well as a short 150-character prompt describing each entry, ideally to demonstrated CanMEDS roles. Both “structured and non-structured experiences that demonstrate an ability to determine needs in your community and a willingness to play a part in filling those needs” can be listed. Students will then need to find a “verifier”, a contact or reference who vouch for your participation.

CASPer: CASPer is a situational judgment test (SJT) developed by researchers at McMaster University in Canada. It aims to measure traits like professionalism, ethics, communication, and empathy. CASPer results are valid only for the application cycle.

Reference Letters: All medical schools will require three references. One reference should be from an academic or employment context, another from a non-academic context, and the third reference can be variable. Students can find community members, faculty members, or previous employers to be references to provide an additional perspective on the type of medical student an applicant might become.

Step 2: Release MCAT Scores to OMSAS

OMSAS does not automatically have your MCAT scores. You must contact the AAMC and request that they release your MCAT scores to OMSAS. The Ontario medical schools require full disclosure of all MCAT score results. Medical schools can disqualify you if they do not receive your MCAT scores by this date, and this would be the worst way to lose out an application cycle.

If you wrote the July, August or September 2024 MCAT, wait until your scores are made available before requesting their release to OMSAS. It takes 2-3 business days for OMSAS to receive your scores after they are released from the AAMC. You should request that your scores be sent no later than October 17, 2024. You must submit your AAMC ID number using the MCAT section of the application.

Click here to learn more about the MCAT, or how to ace the Chemistry/Physics, CARS, Biology/Biochemistry, and Psychology/Sociology sections.

How to Release Your Scores

To release your MCAT scores to OMSAS, log in to your AAMC account.
Under the My Reports tab, select “Send Scores Electronically”.
You can then select the institutions to release the scores to; OMSAS is spelled out as: “Ontario Medical School Application Service”.

Step 3: Interviews

Around January until around April-May, you be receiving interview invites. Some schools will release all their interview invites and rejections on the same day; other schools will release interview invites on a rolling basis. Some schools may require multiple rounds of interviews, while others may only require one traditional panel or multiple mini interview (MMI).

The panel interview is a traditional format in which the applicant is interviewed in front of a panel of individuals—usually a mix of community members, faculty representatives, medical students, and practising physicians.

The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) is an interview format that consists of a series of 6-10 interview stations, each focused on a different question or scenario. The MMI is designed to measure competencies like oral communication, social and nonverbal skills, and teamwork that are important indicators of how an applicant will interact with patients and colleagues as a physician.

Step 4: Receiving Acceptances

In early May, all medical schools will release their acceptances to students on the same day. There is often a 2–3-week deadline for students to accept their initial offers. During this time, schools may also be offering declined spots to students who have been put on the waitlist. Most waitlist offers tend to go out after the deadline to accept initial offers.

Final Thoughts

The journey to medical school in Canada is rigorous but incredibly rewarding. I know that the process of producing the best application you can is taxing, draining, and mentally exhausting, so please reward yourself afterwards. Take time to relax and spend time with friends and family. You’ve taken one step further to achieving your dream career, so give yourself a pat on the back!