On the short list of international medical schools Canadian students consider, MUA is a top choice.
Canadians make up a large proportion of each incoming MUA class, and while they’re attracted to MUA for all the same reasons that draw non-Canadian students, these reasons stand out:
- MUA’s incredibly strong track record of securing clinical rotations and residency placements in Canada
- MUA’s tuition structure, which fits in with the financial resources available to Canadian students, both for provincial loans and private sources of funding
- Achievement Scholarship: MUA is pleased to offer to qualifying candidates the Canadian Achievement Scholarship designed to assist in the cost of education and to recognize past achievements. For more information, click here.
It also doesn't hurt that MUA Executive Dean Gordon Green is Canadian—with an MD from the University of British Columbia. Or that the extensive prep that MUA provides for USMLE Step 1 also applies very well to the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE).
Clinical Rotations in Canada
MUA has been working with Canadian students for many years securing clinical rotations all across Canada. These rotations take place during the elective phase of their education. The process and timing in some ways mirrors that in the U.S., but there are nuances, and MUA works closely with its Canadian students to ensure that each is aware of the process and is able to target rotations appropriate to his or her line of study.
- Documentation: MUA’s familiarity with the documentation process at the various Canadian university-affiliated programs ensures an efficient path toward garnering electives of choice.
- Historical Data: MUA students are aware of both the programs and the rotations in which previous Canadian students have participated.
- Guidance: While electives are chosen by the students, an MUA clinical advisor will actively counsel students about appropriate selections.
- U.S. and Canadian Options: Canadian students have the option to pursue electives in the U.S. or Canada—or both.
- Reputation: MUA and its students have a strong reputation throughout the Canadian affiliate system, which assists in securing rotations.
Residency and Licensure
MUA has been one of the most successful international medical schools in placing Canadian students into residencies in Canada.
Canadian students are eligible to participate in both the U.S. National Resident Matching Program (NRMP)* and the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS), which take place on different schedules.
*Eligible U.S. residency programs must accept H-1 and J-1 visas.
To be eligible to participate in CaRMS, Canadian students must pass the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCQE) and have written and passed, or be scheduled to write, the National Assessment Collaboration (NAC) Examination by the September prior to the CaRMS match.
Specific rules on matching in Canada do vary from province to province. Please visit the CaRMS website for more detail
Recent Canadian Residencies
Below is a representative list of recent MUA residency programs and specialties:
- University of Ottawa: OB/GYN, Pediatrics, Anesthesiology
- Queens University: Psychiatry
- McMaster University: Neurology, Anesthesiology
- Memorial University: Psychiatry
- Western University: Internal Medicine
- U. Toronto: Psychiatry, General Surgery
- U. of Saskatchewan: Surgery
- Western University: Family Medicine
- University of Manitoba: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Financial Aid Options
MUA's Canadian students are approved to apply for financial aid through their provinces. In addition, numerous banks provide student lines of credit to supplement or substitute for the provincial loan alternative. Some of these banks include RBC, TD and BOM, among others.
MUA has a dedicated resource focused on assisting applicants in this process. Please contact the Admissions Department for further information at 978-862-9500.