Application Evaluation and Competitions

There are approximately 900 applications received for the 64 places available each year. The majority of the places are reserved for applicants who are bona fide residents of Newfoundland and Labrador (with seats for aboriginal applicants). There are a limited number of places for applicants who are residents of New Brunswick, of Prince Edward Island, of Yukon Territory, of other Canadian provinces/Non-Canadians.

* Applicants should be aware of the intense competition for the limited number of places available in these categories.

An Admissions Committee of 18 members and an Interview Committee of about 70 members are involved in the admissions process. Both committees have representatives from the clinical faculty, basic medical sciences faculty, university and medical school administration, medical students, medical association, rural regions, aboriginal community and the general public.

Applicants are selected on the basis of their qualifications following an extensive review by the Admissions Committee using input from the Interview Committee. We will conduct the selection process with the utmost fairness and equity without bias. Every attempt is made to avoid having undue influence on the selection process. Canvassing committee members by applicants, family members, or affiliated parties is prohibited and will require these committee members to remove themselves from consideration of these applicants.

What follows is an approximate idea of how the Admissions Committee approached the decision-making process. All the following criteria are important. The order in which they appear here is incidental and does not in any way indicate the priority the Admissions Committee places on each.

Academic Record/MCAT Scores

As the competition changes from year to year, there is no predetermined academic average or MCAT cutoff in order to be considered. However, medicine is a rigorous program and the Admissions Committee must be convinced that an applicant is academically capable of coping with a demanding curriculum; therefore, a high academic standing and high MCAT scores are essential.

For previous entering classes, the average MCAT scores have been approximately 10's on each section and Q on the Writing Sample and an overall academic average/GPA of approximately 3.70.
For grade conversion to Memorial University Grading System, please click here.(pdf)

Personal Qualities

The Admissions Committee seeks in applicants the same humanistic qualities and attitudes that our medical school considers essential in a physician: integrity, a respect for others’ choices and rights, compassion, empathy, personal insight, ability to communicate effectively and relate to people, maturity and motivation.

The Admissions Committee uses several methods to evaluate these intangible, but vital characteristics, and applicants are encouraged to complete fully the application to describe them: a) The Admissions Committee takes into account work experience and extracurricular activities such as volunteer work, health related activities, community involvement, sports activities, and any other activities/information as given by the applicant; b) The Admissions Committee takes into account the autobiographical information.

Reference Letters 

These documents may give the Admissions Committee extra information about your abilities, accomplishments, and academic performance record. Therefore, your referees should be people who know you well enough to write valuable and relevant comments.

Interview

The Admissions Committee may request a candidate to attend an interview. The interview will last approximately one hour and will be conducted by a panel of two interviewers from either the Admissions or Interview Committee. Panel members are not apprised of the information in the application. The interview is designed to get to know the applicant. The topics that might be covered are such things as leisure activities, study and work habits, life experiences and interactions with friends, co-workers, teachers and family. They might also discuss decision making, what an applicant sees in their future, current events, ethics, and health politics. The scores attained in the interview will be combined with other aspects of the application and used by the Admissions Committee to select a class.