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Medical degree (MD)

Doctor of Medicine (MD Undergraduate Program)

Part of the route toDoctorΒ·Degree

A medical degree (3–4 years) combining classroom science and hospital doctor training at UBC or SFU in British Columbia.

How long
3–4 Years
Cost
Not published
Schools
2 in BC

THE ROUTE

How this program works, step by step

Grade 11 to the job. Open any step to see what is inside.

The route (8 steps)

BC Route
1Grade 11 Preparation
2Grade 12 Graduation
3Admissions & Prerequisites
4Application Process
5Program Curriculum
6Where to Take It
7Licensing & Certification
8Career Destination

For the best view, open the map full screen.

STEP BY STEP

Step by step

The same route as the map, as a list.

1

Step 1 of 8

Grade 11

⏱ 1 School Year
  • Grade 11
  • English (Language Arts) 11
  • Pre-Calculus 11
  • Life Sciences 11
  • Chemistry 11
  • Physics 11
2

Step 2 of 8

Grade 12

⏱ 1 School Year
  • Minimum 6 credits of university English literature and composition
  • Grade 12
  • Pre-Calculus 12
  • Anatomy and Physiology 12
  • Chemistry 12
  • Physics 12
  • BC Dogwood Diploma
3

Step 3 of 8

What you need to get in

  • Minimum 90 undergraduate university credits (a completed bachelor degree is strongly recommended)
  • Minimum overall university GPA of 75% on BC scale (competitive average is 88%+)
  • Valid Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores meeting section minimums
  • Documented volunteer, leadership, research, and non-academic experiences
  • Minimum 90 undergraduate university credits (completed bachelor degree strongly recommended)
4

Step 4 of 8

How to apply

  • Apply online through the UBC Faculty of Medicine Admissions Portal or SFU Medicine Portal
  • Submit official post-secondary transcripts and official MCAT score release
  • Provide three structured reference letters from academic or community referees
  • Complete the Casper situational judgment assessment (UBC) or holistic portfolio (SFU)
  • Participate in the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) evaluation if shortlisted (February)
5

Step 5 of 8

Medical degree (MD)

⏱ 3–4 Years
  • 3 to 4 years of full-time undergraduate medical curriculum (UBC 4 years, SFU 3 years year-round)
  • Years 1 and 2: Integrated biomedical sciences, clinical skills training, and patient case studies
  • Distributed clinical training sites across BC (Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Prince George, and Surrey)
  • Hospital clerkships: Over 80 weeks of core hospital rotations and community clinical electives
  • Direct supervised patient care in internal medicine, family practice, surgery, pediatrics, and emergency care
6

Step 6 of 8

Where to take it

⏱ 2 schools in BC
  • Simon Fraser University β€” 3 years (Not published)
  • University of British Columbia β€” 4 years (Not published)
7

Step 7 of 8

Exams and registration after

  • Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part 1 (MCCQE Part 1)
  • Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) postgraduate residency match
  • Postgraduate training after the MD. Graduates match to a program through CaRMS, hold an educational licence with CPSBC, and train in family medicine (minimum two years) or a specialty (longer).
  • The national match for entry-level postgraduate (residency) positions, run by the Canadian Resident Matching Service. Applicants register, submit applications and documents, complete file review and interviews, rank programs, and receive results on Match Day. Canadian medical graduates must obtain, or be in the process of obtaining, their medical degree by July 1 of the match year, and must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
  • Postgraduate residents, trainees and fellows enrolled at a BC medical school must be licensed with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC in an educational licence class.
  • Residency training in Canada leads either to family medicine (certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada) or to a specialty (certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada).
  • Accredited postgraduate training in family medicine. CPSBC's family practice licence requires a minimum of two years of accredited postgraduate training in family medicine (or CFPC certification).
  • Accredited postgraduate training in a Royal College specialty. Length varies by specialty and is set by the Royal College and the training program.
  • Example of a Royal College specialty. Listed for illustration only.
  • Example of a Royal College specialty. Listed for illustration only.
  • Example of a Royal College specialty. Listed for illustration only.
  • Example of a Royal College specialty. Listed for illustration only.
  • Members of the College of Family Physicians of Canada who have completed an approved family medicine residency (or a combination of training and practice experience) may take the Certification Examination in Family Medicine: a four-hour computer-based written component and five 15-minute simulated office oral exams. Passing grants Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CCFP).
  • Residents who complete accredited specialty training take the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certification examination in their specialty. CPSBC's specialty practice licence requires Royal College certification for physicians trained in Canada.
  • Independent practice in BC requires the LMCC from the Medical Council of Canada plus full registration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC in the licence class matching your training: family practice or specialty practice.
  • Granted by the Medical Council of Canada and part of the requirements set by provincial and territorial regulators for a licence to practise. Requires a medical degree from an accredited school, a pass on the MCCQE, source-verified credentials and payment of fees.
  • Independent practice registration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. For physicians whose accredited postgraduate training was completed in Canada, CPSBC requires CFPC certification and the LMCC, a medical degree from a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (with a Canadian sponsor note), English language proficiency, and Canadian citizenship, permanent residency or legal authorization to work in BC.
  • Independent practice registration for specialists. For physicians whose accredited postgraduate training was completed in Canada, CPSBC requires Royal College (RCPSC) certification and the LMCC, a medical degree from a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (with a Canadian sponsor note), English language proficiency, and Canadian citizenship, permanent residency or legal authorization to work in BC.
8

Step 8 of 8

Leads to: Doctor

  • Explore Doctor wages, job outlook, and career pathways

SCHOOLS

Where you can take this(2 schools)

Compare tuitions, campus locations, and delivery formats across approved institutions in British Columbia.

πŸŽ“
University

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby / Surrey / Vancouver

Duration3 years
TuitionNot published
DeliveryIn-Person
β€œSFU Stephens Family School of Medicine in Surrey: 3-year year-round MD curriculum focused on community-based primary care. First class August 2026 with 48 seats, expanding to 120 seats by 2035.”
πŸ›οΈ
University

University of British Columbia

Vancouver & Kelowna

Duration4 years
TuitionNot published
DeliveryIn-Person
β€œAccredited undergraduate medical education distributed across 4 regional campuses in BC: Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, and Prince George.”

Official Sources

Last verified Β· September 2026