Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME)

The Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) program at McMaster University is known worldwide for its innovative approach to medical education, including problem-based learning, early clinical exposure, and three-year curriculum delivered within a distributed medical education model. The components have been organized in sequential blocks with early exposure to patients and case management. The academic program operates on an 11 months-a-year basis and students qualify for the MD degree at the end of the third academic year.

The curriculum evolves continuously, responsive to the challenging needs of Ontario society, nurturing the development of the following competencies at the time of graduation.

Admission Requirements

• Minimum of three years of undergraduate degree with minimum of 3.0 GPA.
• Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
• CASPer.

What You’ll Learn

• Patient-centered care that is compassionate and effective.
• Knowledge for practice: biomedical, clinical, epidemiological, and socio-behavioural sciences.
• Practice-based learning and improvement: investigate and evaluate one’s care of patients, to appraise and assimilate research evidence, and to continuously improve patient care.
• Interpersonal and communication skills: interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals.
• Professionalism: commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles consistent with expectations of society, the profession, and law in all professional settings.
• Systems-based practice: an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on resources in the system.
• Collaboration: engage in inter- and intra-professional teams in a manner that optimizes safe, effective patient- and population-centered care.
• Personal and professional development: demonstrate the qualities required to sustain lifelong personal and professional growth.