Methods of Selection | School of Medicine

The following components are used in the listed order to select those applicants offered a position in this program.

Step 1: Initial Assessment

Each year the Admissions Committee establishes the minimum acceptable GPA score, MCAT score, and Casper score for the admissions cycle. At Queen’s, we review the cumulative GPA.

If the applicant meets the minimum established score set for the admissions cycle with a complete application, then they progress to Step 2. If they are below the minimum, they do not progress in the process.

Step 2: File Review

For applicants who are successful in Step 1, a file review will be conducted.

The Graduate Admissions Committee will review the supplemental application components:

A current Curriculum Vitae
A letter of intent indicating your research interests and accomplishments, and graduate program(s) of interest.
Abstracts of any publications, if available
2 additional confidential letters of recommendation (to be submitted under separate cover) focusing on your research accomplishments and potential to become a physician-scientist.

Applicants must meet the criteria of the Graduate Study program and the minimum thresholds for the MD program for GPA, MCAT and Casper.

These applicants will not be subject to a random selection process. The results of the Graduate Study assessment will be used to determine the candidates selected for a Queen’s University internal MMI evaluation space.

Important: Applications to be considered by the MD/PhD-MD/Master’s Program Committee are first reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee of the applicant’s stated graduate program(s) of interest. Applicants who meet the admissions requirements and are acceptable to the chosen graduate program(s) are then ranked by the MD/PhD-MD/Master’s Program Committee and highly ranked candidates are invited for interview. Applicants are only entered into QARS if they meet the MD program thresholds but do not meet the Graduate Study requirements for interview. If you are offered a position in the MD/PhD-MD/Master’s Program at the time of admission and choose to decline it, your application will be closed and hence you will not then be considered for the MD Kingston Campus program.

The Admissions Committee will only review documents written in English. All application materials must be submitted in English, otherwise your application will not proceed further in the admission process.

Step 3: Interview

Interviews by the MD/PhD-MD/Master’s Program Committee will coincide with the applicant’s interview for the MD Program.

The Queen’s School of Medicine uses a combined MMI and panel interview in the assessment of qualifying candidates. The goal of using the MMI is to more effectively assess non-cognitive qualities of an applicant, which could include empathy, critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and communication skills. Selected candidates will be invited to panel interview for the MD component of this process.

Each applicant will also have a panel interview with members of the Graduate Admissions Committee to assess their suitability for their potential graduate programs they have selected. Those applicants who meet the MD interview requirements but are not selected by the Graduate Admissions Committee will be added back to the MD application process.

Please note: For 2026-27 admissions cycle, all interviews will be conducted virtually.

Please see the Interview section under the MD Admissions How to Apply page for tentative interview dates.

Step 4: Final Decision

Following the completion of interviews, the MD/PhD-MD/Master’s Program Committee ranks the candidates. After offers of admission to an MD/PhD or MD/Master's are made, a graduate research supervisor must be identified, and an application submitted to the appropriate graduate program through the regular process (School of Graduate Studies) (application materials already submitted to the MD/PhD-MD/Master’s Program will be forwarded to the appropriate graduate program).

Final acceptance into the MD/PhD or MD/Master’s Program is conditional on acceptance from the School of Graduate Studies. Those who are not offered admission to the MD/PhD-MD/Master’s Program will be ranked together with the other candidates invited for interview for the Undergraduate MD Program.

Applicants who are placed on the waitlist for the MD/PhD/Master’s program, but are not offered a spot in the program, will have their application and interview data entered back into the MD application pool.