The 2 Best Medical schools in Alberta| Tuition & requirements

Canada as we know is globally renowned for delivering education at its highest quality. They have top-ranked institutions and are very welcoming to international students all around the year.

Doctor of Medicine (MD) is one of the most sought after degree programs in Canada and it is equivalent to the MBBS.

Alberta is home to the world’s finest and most prestigious medical schools and universities. Therefore, on the best medical schools in Alberta, we will take a look at their eligibility requirements, and more.

About MD in Canada

Doctor of Medicine or MD/PhD in Canada is a three to five-year degree program in the medical sciences.

Often, they require students to have a prerequisite medical qualification such as a bachelor’s degree in Medical Sciences or MBBS.

Pursuing an MD degree, you will in the end get qualified with a certified license to practice as a medical practitioner or doctor in Canada.

Alberta being a province in Canada, is not in any way different from all we have just talked about MD in Canada.

MD in Canada Course Structure

Here is the breakdown for obtaining the Doctor of Medicine degree.

A Doctor of Medicine in Canada is known to comprise pre-clinical courses which last for two years and another two years of clinical training called rotation.

Just like in most medical schools in Canada, with medical schools in Alberta inclusive, the majority of the universities follow the structure which I’m about to list below.

A) The first two years of the Doctor of Medicine program helps students to develop requisite skills, knowledge and attitudes for learning.

Students utilize various settings in learning such as anatomy labs for practicals and classrooms for lectures.

B) After the first two years of intensive learning, students can then go ahead to learn various clinical topics which are designed to help them develop their clinical skills in order to prepare them for workplace earning. Often you will hear people call this stage the Clerkship.

These two years involves learning while working with healthcare team members and Physicians in the various hospitals and clinics.

Eligibility for MD in Medical schools in Alberta

The following are the application requirements to study MD in most medical schools in Alberta.

These requirements do not guarantee your admission into any of the medical schools in Alberta but of course, you will not be considered for admission if you do not meet any of the requirements.

The following are for the University of Alberta but of course cover other medical schools in Alberta.

Academic requirements to study MD in Canada

1) All applicants to the Doctor of Medicine program must hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognized University.

2) The undergraduate program must have subjects like Biology and Chemistry.

3) Some medical schools in Alberta prefer undergraduate programs which lasted for 2 years while others accept only for three years.

4) All applicants must complete the MCAT and meet the minimum requirements for each section in singe test sitting to be qualified to apply to the Docotor of Medicine Progam.

5) Proof of English language proficiency is required to study MD in Canada. Tests like TOEFL, IELTS, PTE etc.

6) Once qualified, the students has to appear for personal interviews and group discussions as well.

7) Applicants must send official transcripts of fro all post-secondary institutions ever attended directly from the issuing institution to the office of the registrar, except when stated otherwise.

8) Read on to see other requirements for medical schools in Alberta.

Documents to prepare while applying to MD in Canada

Thee following documents will likely be asked for while applying in any of the medical schools in Alberta.

Official and original transcripts/mark-sheet from the previous institutions. Find out from the particular school you have chosen.

Original diploma/bachelor’s certificate.

Scorecard and/or certification of IELTS, TOEFL, PTE etc. Find out if you got the required score from the school of your choice.

Scorecard of MCAT exam.

Two academic references

Passport-sized photographs in formals

Statement of Purpose 

Letter of Recommendation

Resume 

Certificates and achievements (if any)

What to take note of

While choosing your referees, writing personal activities and during the interview weekend, You have to be conscientious.

This is because, if you receive any a negative assessment or if the validity of the information which you have provided in your application comes with question, then you must have in mind that your application may be negatively impacted.

List of the Medical schools in Alberta

  • University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
  • University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine

University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

This is one of the two medical schools in Alberta that located in Edmonton. It was established in the year 1913 and is said to be one of the oldest medical schools in Western Canada.

This medical school is composed of 21 departments, two stand-alone divisions, 9 research groups and 24 research centers and institutes.

The faculty of Medicine and dentistry is a home for over 1,400 support staff, 2,760 tenure-track and clinical educators.

The MD program is dedicated to the improvement of health through excellence and leadership in their educational programs.

Their mission is to prepare physicians to provide the highest quality of health care to the people of Alberta and beyond.

Admission Statistics:

Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Average GPA: 3.85
Average MCAT: 128.57 for in-province and 129.43for out-of-province
Overall success rate: 9.9%

Out-of-province students make up 15% of matriculants.

University of Alberta medical school requirements Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if:

  1. Are residents of Canada, either as a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident
  2. Believe they would be competitive in the selection criteria.

Applicants on study permit cannot establish residence during a period as a full-time student in an Alberta secondary or postsecondary institution.

This is because a stay with a study permit is considered to be a visiting period, therefore not eligible to apply.

Tuition and Costs

Tuition: CAD$12,887.20
Books, supplies, and instruments fee: CAD$2,100
students’ union dental plan, U-Pass (local transportation), student health and wellness fee add up to: CAD$3.850.
One-bedroom apartment in Edmonton is around $900
Application fee: $180
Supplemental MD Program application fee: $55

There are several scholarships, awards and bursaries available to MD students.Read about University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry‘s requirements in full detail.

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University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine

This is one of the medical schools in Canada that runs a three-year MD program that promotes the health and educational needs of Alberta residents by welcoming applications from students all over Canada.

The University of Calgary on its own is a university that is committed to excellence and leadership in education, research and service to society.

Admission Statistics

Location: Calgary, Alberta
Average GPA: 3.85
Average MCAT: 511.86
Overall success rate: 9.6%

Please note that 85% of seats are reserved for Alberta applicants.

Eligibility

Only Canadian citizens and permanent residents are admitted to the Cumming school of Medicine.

International students, including American applicants are not eligible to apply.

You must Have been physically present in Alberta for two consecutive years at some point between their 15th birthday and the first day of classes in the year of entrance.

You must have been on active duty with the Canadian Armed Forces or the RCMP for 2 years before the first day of classes in the year of entrance.

However, the school acknowledges residents who have been temporarily out of province for vacation, employment or educational exchange.

A letter from your commanding offer supporting your active duty must be received by the school by October 1 of the year of application.

Indigenous applicants from any of the Canadian provinces and territories are considered residents of Alberta and are expected to meet in-province applications criteria.

You might be asked to provide your proof of your residency status.

High school transcript and payments stubs might be asked for.

 For in-province applicants, the minimum GPA requirement is 3.20. For out-of-province applicants, the GPA cut-off is 3.80. 

Out-of-province applicants must score at least 128 on their CARS to be eligible to apply to the MD program while the in-province candidates do not have a CARS minimum to apply.

Tuition and other costs of studying at University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine

Annual tuition for the MD program:  CAD$16,063.02
Textbooks and supplies : CAD$5,161
Other program fees(U-Pass, athletics, student union fees, etc): CAD$1,240.46
A bedroom apartment in Calgary costs around: $1,200
Food per month should be around: $450
Gas, insurance, maintenance, and parking will cost:  $600

There are competitive and nominated awards as well as bursaries for students who are enrolled into the MD program. There are bursaries ranging from $400-$8,000, average $2000-$3000.

Do not forget to always check the website of the institution for admission deadlines. Read about University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine in detail.

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