Admissions FAQ (From Dalhousie Admissions Website)

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Preparing Your Application

 

1. What is the application deadline date?

 

Applications must be postmarked by October 31st.

 

2. Can my supporting documents be sent in before my application?

 

Yes, we will hold your documents on file until your application is received.

 

3. When are the applications available?

 

Applications are available beginning September 1st of each year. They must be downloaded.

 

4. Are there specific course requirements that I must meet before I apply to your faculty?

 

No, we do not have any specific course requirements for application to medicine. However, we recommend students take courses that help to prepare for the MCAT examination.

 

5. Who should I ask to be referees?

 

Referees should be individuals who know you well and for a long enough period to be able to offer an objective assessment of your attributes and in particular your strengths and weaknesses. Academic referees from your undergraduate or graduate program are very suitable; but also employers, volunteer supervisors, coaches of sports teams, etc can be used. Letters from individuals who describe themselves as family friends are not acceptable.

 

6. Would it help to have a physician for a referee?

 

If the physician only knows you as a patient the letter of reference tends to be less useful, so we discourage applicants from getting their physician to be a referee.

 

7. Am I able to know what a referee says about me?

 

Letters of reference from referees are strictly confidential and are never released to applicants.

 

8. How important is the essay part of the application?

 

The essay is very important and is your opportunity to discuss your reasons for applying to medical school based on your own personal experiences and in addition gives you the opportunity to explain to the Admissions Committee any questions that might come up when they review your application. The essay also is an opportunity for you to discuss your strengths and weaknesses and to discuss your reasons for a career change if relevant to your application.

 

9. I have many strengths but should I admit to having weaknesses?

 

Everyone has weaknesses; the Admissions Committee is more interested in how you have dealt with these weaknesses and what outcomes there have been as a result of your efforts.

 

 

10. How important is the activity profile part of the application?

 

The Supplementary sheet is quite important because it tells the Admissions Committee a lot about your activities over the previous years. The Committee is particularly interested in any leadership positions you might have had, what volunteer, paid or community service you've been involved in and what awards and accomplishments you have gained. The supplementary sheet is your opportunity to put your best foot forward and make sure that the Admissions Committee can get to know you well enough as they make their decisions.

 

11. Does it matter if I don't have any medically related volunteer work or experience?

 

The Admissions Committee considers it important that you have some medically related experience. This can be volunteer work or paid work depending on your circumstances. Applications from individuals who do not have such experience are rarely acceptable to the committee.

 

12. What type of medically related experience is the Admissions Committee looking for?

 

The committee is particularly interested in "hands on" medical experience. For example, personal care work (PCW) is regarded more favorably than volunteering in a hospital gift shop. Working with "sick" people would give you a better idea of what a medical career might entail than working with healthy ones. Ultimately, you may have to take whatever experience is available in your locale.

 

13. Can I be paid for my medically related experience?

 

The Admissions Committee doesn't object to applicants earning money.

 

14. How do I know how much information to include on the supplementary sheet?

 

When in doubt, put it down. Let the Admissions Committee decide whether it is important or not.

 

 

 

Minimum Requirements

 

15. What are the minimum requirements for applying to Dalhousie Medical School?

 

The minimum application requirements are summarized in the university calendar. Applicants need to have an undergraduate degree in any discipline and usually a four year degree. As well, maritime applicants need a minimum grade point average of 3.3 in each of two consecutive years with a full course load prior to applying.

There are no prerequisite courses.

All applicants must take the Medical College Admissions Test and must achieve a minimum total score of 24. Norrmally this would be a minimum of 8 in each of the three numerical categories but one minimum of 7 is allowed as long as the total is 24 or greater.

For non-Maritime applicants the minimum grade point average is 3.7 and the minimum MCAT is 30; one minimum score of 9 is permitted as long as the total score is 30 or greater.

16. What are the degree requirements in order to apply to Medicine?

We do require a degree, preferably a 4 year degree in order to apply. We do not require the degree to be in a specific discipline and will consider all university degrees.

 

17. My undergrad degree is not in Science. Does it matter?

 

Undergraduate degrees can be in any discipline. Most applicants have science degrees although some medical students have undergraduate degrees in Arts, Engineering, Music, Nursing, Physiotherapy, etc.

 

18. Can I apply with a three year degree?

 

Only rarely is a candidate accepted with a three year degree. It is preferable that applicants have a four year undergraduate degree.

 

19. What is the minimum MCAT score that I must achieve?

 

Maritime applicants must achieve a total score of 24 with an 8 in each of the three numerical categories. You can have one numerical score of 7 but must compensate for this in one of the other categories to ensure you have the total of 24.

 

Non-Maritime applicants must achieve a total score of 30 with a 10 in each category. One 9 can be achieved as long as the total score is 30.

 

20. Do you have a minimum GPA requirement that must be met?

 

Maritime applicants must have achieved a minimum GPA of 3.3 in each of two consecutive years of full time study. If you have previously completed your degree then we will also consider your best 3 out of the 4 years of full time study.

 

Non maritime applicants must achieve a minimum of 3.7 in each of two consecutive years of full time study or the best 3 of 4 years.

 

 

MCAT Information

 

21. Which courses would better prepare me for the MCAT?

 

Courses in General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology and Physics at the first and second year level are said to be sufficient preparation for the writing of the MCAT.

 

 

22. Can I get into Dalhousie Medical School with the minimum MCAT total score of 24?

 

Each year a small number of students are admitted with a total MCAT score of 24 although the average MCAT score for applicants is 28.

 

23. Will my application be considered if my total MCAT score is 23?

 

Applications with a total MCAT score of less than 24 are not considered. There are no exceptions to this rule.

 

24. How is the score on the MCAT writing sample considered?

 

The Admissions Committee looks at the score on the Writing Sample with interest but it is not factored into the decision.

 

25. Is it true that Dalhousie is considering dropping the MCAT requirement?

 

There have been no discussions regarding eliminating the MCAT requirement.

 

26. If I have written the MCAT more than once which set of marks will be considered?

 

The Admissions Committee considers the set of marks that you indicate on your application form.

 

27. I wrote the MCAT four years ago. Can I still use these results as part of my application?

 

MCAT results are good for five years. If the MCAT has been written more than five years prior to application it would have to be rewritten.

 

28. Where can I get more information about the MCAT?

 

More information can be obtained from their Web site.

 

29. What is the latest date that I can write the MCAT?

 

The MCAT is written in April and August of each year. The August sitting prior to the application deadline of October 31 would be the last time that you could write the MCAT for consideration in that Admissions cycle.

 

 

30 . How much weight does the Admissions Committee place on the MCAT?

 

Although the MCAT score is an important part of the application process it does not carry undue weight. It is considered along with your university transcripts as an indication of your academic ability.

 

 

 

Interview Process

 

31. How do I know if I will be granted an interview as part of the application process?

 

All Maritime applicants who meet the minimum requirements are interviewed but only a portion of the non-Maritime applicants are interviewed because of the small number of seats available compared to the Maritime pool.

 

32. Who will interview me?

 

Applicants are interviewed by either two faculty members or one faculty member and one second year medical student.

 

 

33. What are the interviewers looking for?

 

The interviewers are instructed to determine your abilities to communicate, think on your feet and to determine your motivation and commitment to a career in medicine.

 

34. Will I receive any feedback at the conclusion of the interview?

 

The interviewers are instructed not to give any feedback regarding the outcome of the interview.

 

35. What information concerning my application is available to the interviewers?

 

The interviewers only receive your essay and supplementary sheet. They are not given any information on your age, your undergraduate university, transcripts, MCAT scores or letters of reference. They do not know whether you have been a previous applicant or not.

 

36. How will I know if and when I will receive an interview?

 

Notification is sent out to all applicants regarding interviews usually early in January of each Admission cycle.

 

37. Will there be an opportunity to talk to current medical students when I come to Halifax and Dalhousie for the interview?

 

The first year medical students put on a program at the time of the interviews in order to give the opportunity for applicants to meet with the students and have a tour of the medical school.

 

 

Residency

 

38. What determines whether I will be in the Maritime or non-Maritime pool of applicants?

 

Usually this is determined by the place of residence of your parents or if you have established your own home; your place of residence. If you are from outside the Maritime Provinces and you have spent three or more years in an undergraduate program or two or more years in a graduate program in a Maritime university you can be considered in the Maritime pool. If you move outside the Maritime Provinces and are gone for three or more years you are considered to be a resident of the province to which you have moved.

 

39. Do I have to use the same residency status on applications to other medical schools?

 

Yes. If you are a Maritime applicant, for our purposes, you would also be a Maritime applicant for all other medical schools.

 

40 . Are there separate quotas for each of the Maritime Provinces?

 

No, all students of the three Maritime Provinces are combined into one pool and there are no separate quotas.

 

 

General

 

41. If I'm accepted to Dalhousie Medical School can I delay or defer admission for a year?

 

Deferrals are rarely granted and usually only for very specific, often medical, reasons. If your intention is to apply and then request a deferral you should reconsider your decision.

 

42. Are applications from graduate students considered in a different category from undergraduate students?

 

No, all applications are considered in their respective pools; Maritime and non-Maritime.

 

43. I don't have a full course load in my graduate program, so how is the minimum grade point average determined?

 

These decisions are made on a case by case basis and only after the transcript is reviewed in the Admissions Office.

 

44. Can I drop out of my graduate program if I'm accepted to Dalhousie Medical School?

 

No, graduate students must complete and submit their thesis prior to being accepted to medical school and thus graduate students should not apply until there is a firm end point established to their graduate work.

 

45. I'm considering doing graduate work before applying to medical school; is one program better than another?

 

The choice of graduate school is up to you; we do not recommend any particular program.

 

46. Can I call the Admissions and Student Affairs to find out the status of my application?

 

Information on applications in general will be posted on the website. The office does not give out specific information on each individual application and its status.

 

47. When will I be notified whether my application has been successful?

 

At the present time decision letters are mailed out after each Admissions Committee meeting. These letters are only sent when a final decision has been reached.

 

48. What happens when I'm placed on a waiting list?

 

In June, at the end of each Admissions cycle, a waiting list is established and applicants are notified. If accepted students decline our offer of Admission we go to the waiting list and send out acceptance letters determined by the ranking on the list.

 

49. I'm going to be traveling during the summer and will not have a fixed mailing address. How will you contact me?

 

We must be able to contact you if you are on the waiting list. This is usually done by email. If we are unable to contact you within a reasonable length of time we move on to the next person on the waiting list.

 

50. How many students does Dalhousie take in first year medicine?

 

At the present time there will be a total of 90 students in the Maritime and non-Maritime pools.

 

51. Who sits on the admissions committee?

 

The admissions committee consists of approximately 20 individuals representing faculty, both basic science and clinical, a lawyer and a community representative. Faculty representatives represent a variety of disciplines in the faculty of medicine, from family physicians to sub-specialists.

 

52. How does the admissions committee make its decisions?

 

Each admissions committee member is allocated a number of files to present at the meetings. The members' task is to summarize your application and present it to the remaining members. Following the presentation and some discussion, a vote is taken by the committee and a final decision is reached.

 

53. If I am accepted do you require a deposit to hold my seat?

 

Yes, a deposit to the Registrar's Office is required. For a full fee schedule, see their Web site.

 

54. If I'm not accepted am I able to find out why?

 

Yes, appointments can be made with the Assistant Dean of Admissions & Student Affairs or the Director of Admissions & Student Affairs either in person or by telephone. This information is not given out by letter or email.

 

55. How many times can I apply to Dalhousie Medical School?

 

At the present time there is no limit on the numbers of times that you may apply

 

56. Do you accept transfer students from other medical schools?

 

It is very rare for Dalhousie Medical School to accept students in transfer largely because of the differences in curricula in the different medical schools. If this does occur it is only for students within Canada.

 

57. Why does it take so long to hear from the Admissions Committee?

 

Approximately 15-20 files are reviewed at each weekly meeting beginning in February. For those files where a final decision has been reached a letter goes out the same week.

 

58. What does it mean when my file has been placed in the "deferred" category?

 

This means that the Admissions Committee is not ready to make a final decision on your file. Approximatley 20% of filess are deferred and discussed again in mid June after all files have been presented. At this time the remaining seats are filled and a waiting list is established.

 

59. What does it mean if I have not heard from the Admissions Committee?

 

It means either that your application has not been presented or your have been placed in the deferred category.