ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be considered eligible for the MD/PhD Program at McMaster, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

• A four-year Bachelor’s degree at the time of entry into the MD/PhD Program
• A minimum GPA of 3.8/4.0 in their final two years of undergraduate study and an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0/4.0. An overall simple average will be calculated using the grades from all undergraduate degree level courses ever taken (with the exception of credits taken on exchange outside of Canada/U.S.). Courses from different years are treated equally. McMaster University may also review and revise this average. Marks from eligible summer and other courses will be included in the GPA calculation.
• A minimum score of 127 on the Critical Analysis and Reasoning section of the post-2015 MCAT, completed within the last five years

Applicants must also meet entry criteria for the eligible PhD program of their choice and are advised to review this information before applying:

• Medical Sciences
• Biochemistry
• Chemical Biology
• Health Policy
• Health Research Methodology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience (MINDS)

Other graduate programs may be considered on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the MD/PhD Program Director

Applicants who are not enrolled in the MD program at McMaster at the time of application are also required to complete a 90-minute computer-based test, called the Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer™), as part of the selection process.

ADDITIONAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

Applicants should also demonstrate excellence in their research endeavours to date, as reflected by their CV, academic references, personal statement, and, if invited to interview, by their performance on the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI).

• Each applicant is required to submit evidence of their scientific experiences and interests via our McMaster MD/PhD Scientific Materials Submission template (linked at the bottom of the page).  The template includes all necessary instructions on what to include and how to format your materials. You are to upload this template in place of the Research Interests Questionnaire on your application through the Graduate Studies Portal.
• Each applicant’s portfolio will be assessed for evidence of their scientific preparation, fit with their proposed doctorial program, and potential to succeed as a physician scientist. Some components we look for are mature scientific orientation and strong communication abilities. Participation in research activities, success in merit-based research award competitions, conference presentations and abstracts, and publications.  Finally, the portfolio will also be assessed for physician-scientist career suitability, motivation and plans.
• Each applicant will also submit two academic references, in addition to those references submitted through the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS), that address their suitability for an MD/PhD program. At least one reference should be from the supervisor from an undergraduate or graduate research project or thesis.

Students who are successful in the application process and are admitted will be required to identify a faculty member who will agree to supervise the student for the PhD component of their training. Applicants are strongly encouraged to identify potential supervisors and make contact with those individuals to inquire about supervision as part of their application to the MD/PhD program. 

Policy and Procedures

As per the McMaster University School of Graduate Studies Calendar, admission is competitive; meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. The admission decision is not subject to appeal.