Canada had 99,555 physicians in 2024, or 241 physicians per 100,000 people. Even so, health care access pressures remain significant: 5.7 million Canadian adults did not have a regular health care provider in 2024. Canada’s health workforce continues to face unmet demand, workload pressures, and provider well-being concerns.
Internationally educated physicians may need to complete credential verification, examinations, supervised training, or a practice-ready assessment, depending on their pathway and the province or territory where they want to practice. Based on 2021 Census data, 67% of employed internationally educated health care professionals who trained as physicians worked in health occupations, compared with 95% of their Canadian-educated counterparts.
To become a doctor in Canada, you should be clear about your goals and priorities. The process is long, but it can lead to a rewarding career treating patients and helping them heal. Keep reading to learn more about the steps to becoming a doctor in Canada.
How to Become a Doctor in Canada
Step 1. Accomplish Your Undergraduate Degree
Start by completing the postsecondary education required by the medical schools you plan to apply to. Requirements vary by school. Most provinces require at least two years of postsecondary education, while Quebec residents applying to medical schools in Quebec generally complete CÉGEP training. Some schools require a bachelor’s degree, while others do not. Medical schools do not require every applicant to graduate from one specific discipline.
Review each school’s prerequisites carefully. Many schools request basic science courses, but the required subjects and credits vary by program. A science-based course plan can help prepare you for medical school, but it is not a universal admissions requirement.
Step 2. Pass the MCAT
Canadian medical schools do not all require the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). For example, the University of Ottawa and Northern Ontario School of Medicine University do not require it. Other schools use MCAT scores in different ways.
Taking the MCAT can broaden your options. Check the current admissions requirements for each Canadian medical school to learn whether it requires the test and which sections it considers.
Step 3. Create Your OMSAS Login
The Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) operates the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS), the centralized application service for Ontario’s seven medical schools. Each medical school is independent and makes its own admissions decisions.
If you are applying to an Ontario medical school, create your OMSAS login and pay close attention to current submission and payment deadlines. Required materials include transcripts and references, along with any school-specific documentation. Review the current OMSAS guide and each medical school’s official admissions page before submitting your application.
Step 4. Qualify and Enroll in a Medical School
Admission to Canadian medical schools is highly competitive. Because universities fall under provincial jurisdiction, the majority of seats in a faculty of medicine are generally allocated to residents of the province where the university is located. Eligibility rules vary by school.
International-student eligibility is limited and school-specific. Some faculties do not accept international applications. Others may have contracts with international governments or institutions for supernumerary positions, which can include conditions related to tuition, residency training in Canada, or returning to the student’s country of origin after graduation.
Do not rely on a static list of universities that accept international applicants. For background reading, see the institution pages for Université de Montreal, University of Toronto, McGill University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Université de Sherbrooke, Université Laval, and McMaster University. Confirm your eligibility on each university’s official admissions page before applying.
Step 5. Complete 4 Years of Medical School
Many MD programs last four years, but program length and curriculum structure vary. For example, McMaster University and the University of Calgary offer three-year MD programs. Medical school commonly includes pre-clerkship and clerkship experiences that prepare students for supervised clinical practice. Review each university’s curriculum for the details of its program.
Step 6. Pass the MCCQE
Students can apply for the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) up to 15 months before their expected graduation date. Once an application is accepted, a student’s eligibility window begins 12 months before the expected graduation date. The MCCQE is a one-day, computer-based examination available at Prometric test centers or through remote proctoring. It assesses the knowledge and clinical decision-making expected of someone completing a medical degree.
Passing the MCCQE is one criterion for earning the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC). The LMCC is not itself a provincial or territorial medical license. Medical regulatory authorities set the requirements for practicing medicine in their jurisdictions.
Step 7. Apply and Complete Your Residency
The next step is to apply for residency. Residency length varies by discipline and program. For example, family medicine residents would normally complete 24 consecutive months of training. Applicants for entry-level postgraduate positions generally use the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) R-1 Main Residency Match. Review the current eligibility criteria for the programs and provinces where you want to train.
Applicants and programs submit rank order lists through CaRMS. The CaRMS algorithm compares those lists and matches applicants to programs based on the preferences submitted by both parties.
If you completed your medical education outside Canada, you are generally considered an international medical graduate (IMG). IMGs applying to Canadian residency programs through CaRMS must take the National Assessment Collaboration Examination (NAC). The NAC assesses readiness to enter a Canadian residency program. For the CaRMS R-1 Main Residency Match, the Medical Council of Canada states that IMGs may take the NAC and MCCQE in the order they prefer.
Step 8. Earn Your Medical Certifications
LMCC eligibility generally requires a passing MCCQE result and successful source verification of the medical degree or diploma. The LMCC is an important component of the requirements set by medical regulatory authorities in many provinces and territories, but it is not the same as a provincial or territorial license to practice medicine.
During residency or after completing it, you may need to take examinations and earn certifications that apply to your field. These can include the Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP) or certification from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities set the requirements for registration and licensure.
If you are an IMG, you may be able to complete some steps before moving to Canada. Depending on your pathway, these steps may include creating a physiciansapply.ca account, submitting credentials for source verification, and taking the MCCQE. Check the requirements of the province or territory where you want to practice.
The journey to becoming a medical doctor in Canada requires extensive study, examinations, supervised training, certification, and provincial or territorial registration. Canada continues to face health workforce pressures, particularly in access to primary care. Plan early and check the current official requirements for the pathway you intend to follow.
It is helpful to start planning early. Admissions, residency, citizenship or permanent-resident status, and province-specific rules can affect your opportunities. For broader information about university costs, see our guide to affordable universities. The path to becoming a doctor is demanding, but it can be rewarding if you want to help patients recover from illness.
We hope you found this article on how to become a doctor in Canada informative and helpful. If you are interested, make sure to also check out the Study in Canada and Available Courses for International Students.
