The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, located in London, Ontario, is renowned for its innovative approach to medical and dental education. Offering world-class training, state-of-the-art facilities, and numerous research and clinical opportunities, Schulich has consistently ranked among the top institutions in Canada. For those considering a career in healthcare, whether in medicine, dentistry, or research, Schulich provides an ideal environment for learning, growth, and professional development.
The Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry is the combined medical school and dental school of the University of Western Ontario, a public university in London, Ontario, Canada
The medical education section is one of six in Ontario and one of 17 medical schools in Canada, and the dental education section is one of two in Ontario and one of ten in Canada.
| Named for | Seymour Schulich |
|---|---|
| Type | Faculty (medical and dental school) |
| Established | 1881 (medical school)1964 (dental school) |
| Parent institution | University of Western Ontario |
| Dean | John Yoo |
| Academic staff | 1,800 |
| Students | 684 (MD students) 224 (DDS students) 995 (BMSc students) |
| Postgraduates | 765 |
| Doctoral students | 273 |
| Location | London, Ontario, Canada 43°00′29.84″N 81°16′18.82″W |
| Website | schulich.uwo.ca |
Key Takeaways
- World-Class Education: Schulich’s innovative curriculum and expert faculty ensure high-quality education for future healthcare professionals.
- Cutting-Edge Facilities: The school’s state-of-the-art resources provide a hands-on learning environment that enhances students’ practical skills.
- Research and Clinical Training: Students have the opportunity to engage in groundbreaking research and receive extensive clinical training.
- Global Opportunities: Schulich offers global health programs and international electives, providing students with a broader perspective on healthcare.
- Wellness and Support: The school prioritizes student wellness and provides resources for mental health and work-life balance.
Why Come Here?
Participate in early hands-on clinical experience, innovative curricula, and multiple learning environments
Schulich Medicine
- MD+ enables students to complete a concurrent graduate degree.
- Commitment to patient-centred care, community engagement, service learning, and research opportunities.
- Distributed learning environment with over 60 communities for clinical learning opportunities.
- Competency-based medical education curriculum (CBME).
- Two campuses, one curriculum.
Schulich Dentistry
- Opportunity to pursue a combined Dental Clinician Scientist graduate program.
- Early hands-on experience with our dentistry simulation lab.
- Early patient and clinic exposure supported by an electronic patient management system.
- Community Service Learning (CSL).
- Research opportunities (FORUS).
Engage in a student-centred curriculum facilitated by dedicated faculty
Schulich Medicine & Dentistry faculty members include physicians, dentists, health researchers and scholars who:
- Offer you the skills, knowledge and competencies for the present-day learner.
- Ensure that you are an active participant in your learning.
- Give you a depth of knowledge to critique data, improve your problem-solving skills, and make decisions effectively.
- Provide a respectful learning environment where all students gain cultural competence and exercise professionalism.
Be supported toward success
Schulich Medicine & Dentistry is committed to supporting your success academically and non-academically.
Dedicated faculty and mentors, as well as Learner Experience Office team members, will provide tailored advice and guidance to help support your journey through medical and dental school, including enhancing your success in national licensing exams and transition to practice.
Schulich Medicine & Dentistry is committed to ensuring that financial barriers such as tuition and living costs can be mitigated. More than 1,000 awards valued at over $5 million are available throughout your medical and dental program studies, including over $540,000 annually to Entering Students based on merit and/or financial need, including:
Schulich Medicine Scholarships
- Value: $134,400
- Payable: $33,600 per academic year, up to four years
- Number: varies annually
Schulich Dentistry Scholarships
- Value: $54,000
- Payable: $13,500 per academic year, up to four years
- Number: 4 annually
Medicine (MD)
The school’s medical program consists of four years of studies; two of which are pre-clerkship, one is a rotating clerkship and the final year is an integration and consolidation year devoted to electives in preparation for the chosen speciality of the student.
MD Admissions
The Doctor of Medicine (MD) program at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry receives approximately 2000 applications each year, of which 450 applicants are invited to interview for 171 spots (133 London campus and 38 Windsor campus). Schulich Medicine is unique in that it does not require prerequisite courses, thus encouraging students from a variety of disciplines to apply. Furthermore, no preference or advantage is given to specific programs. Schulich Medicine does not accept international students for the undergraduate program, but does accept students from provinces outside of Ontario.
Minimum requirements:
Applicants are invited to interview based on minimum grade point average (GPA) and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) requirements. For the 2023-2024 application cycle, these minimums were a 3.70 GPA. Minimum score in each of the following sections of: BBFLS 127, CPBS 127, CARS 127, PSBB 126 on the MCAT. These cutoffs vary year to year based on the applicant pool. Students whose scores below any of the cut-offs are not considered and will automatically not receive an invitation to an interview. Students from Southwestern Ontario are required to have the same academic credentials, but are allowed to have slightly lower MCAT scores for individual sections (no lower than 125/section). It is unknown if these students receive an advantage post-interview, as Schulich Medicine does not disclose their admission calculations. Furthermore, credentials for the matriculating class are not released to the public, but have been historically higher than the minimum requirements.
Dentistry (DDS)
The school’s dentistry program is a four-year program offering a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree. The school also offers Canada’s first accredited Qualifying Program for Internationally Trained Dentists (ITD), as well as a post-graduate programs in Clinical Orthodontics.
DDS Admissions
Admission to the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry is highly competitive, with the school receiving approximately 485 applications each year, of which 199 are invited to interview and 56 are offered admission.
Admissions Statistics:
As of 2023, the incoming DDS class of 2026 consists of 55% female and 43% male students. 11% identify as LGBTQ and 53% are first-generation Canadians. The mean GPA on admission is 3.9 and the mean DAT reading comprehension and perceptual ability scores are 21. 28% of the incoming class completed a graduate degree prior to gaining admission to the DDS program.
Medical science (BMSc)
The medical science undergraduate program is a joint program offered by the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry and the University of Western Ontario.
Full list of degree programs offered
- Doctor of Medicine (MD)
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
- 48 postgraduate medicine (residency) training programs
- Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMSc)
- MSc & PhD programs in basic and clinical sciences
- Combined MD/PhD
- Combined MD/DDS (Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Residency)
- Graduate Orthodontics
- Qualifying Program (for foreign-trained dental graduates)
Affiliated teaching hospitals
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry affiliated teaching hospitals
| Institution | Main specialties | Affiliated research arm |
|---|---|---|
| Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre | Medical imaging, neurosciences, oncology | Children’s Health Foundation |
| University Hospital (London Health Sciences Centre) | Anesthesiology, medical imaging, multi organ transplantation, neurosciences, oncology | Lawson Health Research Institute |
| Victoria Hospital (London Health Sciences Centre) | Anesthesiology, medical imaging, multi organ transplantation, neurosciences | Canadian National Institute for the Blind |
| St. Joseph’s Hospital (St. Joseph’s Health Care London) | Breast care, diabetes, ear, nose and throat/head and neck surgery, eye care, gastroenterology, hand and upper limb, lung disease, osteoporosis, pain management, rheumatology, urology | The St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation |
| Parkwood Hospital (St. Joseph’s Health Care London) | Complex care, palliative care, rehabilitation, specialized geriatric services | The St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation |
| Regional Mental Health Care (St. Joseph’s Health Care London) | Mental healthcare | |
| Mount Hope Centre for Long-Term Care (St. Joseph’s Health Care London) | Mental healthcare, palliative care | The St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation |
Notable faculty and alumni
Since their founding, the medical and dental schools have produced a number of famous physicians and inventors, including:
- Frederick Banting: Surgeon; primary discoverer of insulin; lecturer in orthopedics and anthropology (1920-1921)
- Margaret Chan: Former Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO)
- Jane Philpott: Current Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Markham-Stouffville.
- Henry J.M. Barnett: Neurologist; expert in the medical management of stroke; along with Charles Drake, co-founder of the Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences at University Hospital (London).
- Charles G. Drake: Neurosurgeon; established the University of Western Ontario as a neurosurgical centre of excellence; pioneered treatment of vertebral basilar aneurysms.
- Gary G. Ferguson: Neurosurgeon; internationally recognized as a leader on research in stroke prevention surgery
- Ian McWhinney: Family physician; known as the “Father of Family Medicine”; established the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine, often regarded as the premier research centre in Family Medicine in Canada.
- David Jaffray: a pioneer in medical imaging and professor at the University of Toronto
- Henri Breault: Chief of Pediatrics and Director of the Poison Control Centre at Hotel Dieu Hospital; he was instrumental in the creation of the first child-proof container
- Robert Noble: involved in the discovery of vinblastine
- Murray Barr: discovered an important cell structure named after him: Barr body, an inactive X chromosome in a female somatic cell, rendered inactive by lyonization
- Gopal Bhatnagar: Head of Cardiovascular Surgery unit at the Trillium Health Centre; he led the team that performed the first cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in Canada in 2004 using the new Sorin mini-bypass technology.
- Jock McKeen: co-founder of the Haven Institute (Gabriola Island, Canada) with Bennet Wong
- John David Spence: Medical researcher and professor at the University of Western Ontario
- Paul Polak: co-founder and CEO of Windhorse International
- A. Albert Yuzpe: obstetrician-gynecologist; known for his work on human fertility and emergency contraception. The Yuzpe regimen, is named after him
- Barry A. Love: cardiologist; director of the Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and director of the Pediatric Electrophysiology Service at the Mount Sinai Medical Center and assistant professor of both pediatrics and cardiology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine
- Jonathan Larmonth Meakins:surgeon, expert in immunobiology and surgical infections; the fourth person and first Canadian appointed Nuffield Professor of Surgery Professor at University of Oxford. He is a Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford and leads the Nuffield Department Surgery
- William James Roche: Canadian politician and Conservative Member of Parliament
- Donald Rix: pathologist and philanthropist
- Thomas Chisholm: lecturer
- Melanie Kok: Olympic Canadian rower
- James Collip: dean of medicine at the University of Western Ontario, and part of the Toronto group which isolated insulin
- Lawrence Sealewyn Holmes: dermatologist and radiologist; noted philatelist
- John G. Kelton: dean of medicine at McMaster University Medical School and the McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences, developed a diagnostic test for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
- Danielle Martin: Canadian physician, health care administrator, author and an associate professor at the University of Toronto.
Medicine & Dentistry Schulich Scholarships
Schulich Scholarships are awarded to students entering the first year of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program and Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program based on academic achievement and demonstrated financial need. These scholarships will continue for up to four years provided that recipients progress satisfactorily and continue to demonstrate financial need each year.
These scholarships were established by Seymour Schulich to help ensure that students who want to enter Western’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) programs receive the financial assistance they need.
Medical Scholarships:
Value
- Total Value of $134,400.
- Payable $33,600 per academic year continuing, provided that recipients progress satisfactorily and continue to demonstrate financial need each year. Recipients will receive renewal information each spring/summer.
- 1 scholarship is available to a 4th year medical student. To be considered, students need to have Ontario residency. The value of the scholarship is $33,600 (not continuing)
- Number of scholarships varies each year.
How To Apply
To be considered, submit an online Financial Assistance application in addition to the Supplemental Schulich Scholarship Supplemental Application. If you have already submitted an online application then you only need to submit the supplemental application.
The 2024-25 online Financial Assistance application is available through the Student Center. Once logged into your Student Center, click Student Financials > Financial Aid and Funding > Apply for Financial Assistance > Click here to Apply for Financial Assistance to access the application or go to bursaries.uwo.ca.
Application
Schulich Scholarship Supplemental Application
Dentistry Scholarships:
Value
- Total value of $54,000.
- Payable $13,500 per academic year for a period of four years, provided that recipients progress satisfactorily and continue to demonstrate financial need each year. Recipients will receive renewal information each spring/summer.
- 4 scholarships available.
- Students must meet Ontario residency requirements.
- 1 scholarship is available to a 4th year dentistry student. To be considered, students need to have Ontario residency. The value of the scholarship is $13,500 (not continuing).
How To Apply
To be considered for a Dentistry Schulich Scholarship students must complete an Admission Bursary application or a Financial Assistance Application and must submit the Schulich Scholarship Supplemental Application. The Fall/Winter 2024-25 Financial Assistance Application will be available through the Student Center by the end of August 2024. If you have already submitted an online application then you only need to submit the supplemental application.
Application
Schulich Scholarship Supplemental Application
Application Submission:
Your completed application should be uploaded online through the DocDrop. Notes: 1)You will need to have your Western User ID and password to access the DocDrop. 2)Your document must be in PDF format to upload.
Program and Per Course Fee Information
For students in Undergraduate programs at Western:
Tuition and ancillary fees will continue to be structured in the following manner:
- For full time students taking 3.5 or 3.75 courses from September to April, tuition and ancillary fees will be charged on a per-course basis.
- For students in a course load of less than 3.5 courses from September to April, tuition and ancillary fees will be pro-rated on a per-course basis. no change from prior years
- For students taking 4.0 courses or more from September to April, tuition and ancillary fees will be charged at full program rates equivalent to a 100% course load. no change from prior years
The bus pass and Health and Dental plans will continue to be charged to students in a 3.5 course load or greater.
Students who are billed full program fees but who intend to take 3.5 or 3.75 courses between September and April can request that their fees be recalculated on a per-course basis. Note that when you are charged fees on a per-course basis, your fees increase as you add courses. Additionally, if you increase your course load to the 4.0 threshold, you will be subject to full program fees.
The deadline to self-identify for Per Course Tuition is February 1. Please note that students who drop courses after February 1st are considered full-time students and will be subject to full program fees for the academic year.
To identify your intention to enrol in 3.5 or 3.75 courses log into your Student Center account and click on Student Financials > Fees and Refunds > Per Course Fee Identification.
This new structure does not apply to the following programs because they are considered to be cohort-based:
- Engineering
- Nursing
- Education Pre-Service
- HBA
- Medicine
- Law
- Dentistry
Also Read : How Canadian Universities Prepare Students Life For After Graduation
Conclusion
The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry offers an unparalleled educational experience, combining world-class faculty, cutting-edge facilities, and exceptional clinical and research opportunities. Whether you are pursuing a career in medicine, dentistry, or healthcare research, Schulich provides the ideal environment for professional development. With a strong commitment to student wellness, leadership, and global health, Schulich prepares its graduates to be leaders in their fields and advocates for better healthcare worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What programs does Schulich offer?
Schulich offers a wide range of programs, including Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Master’s and Ph.D. programs in medical sciences, and combined MD/PhD and MD/MBA programs. The school also provides various research and specialization opportunities for graduate students.
2. What is the admissions process for Schulich?
The admissions process varies depending on the program, but generally includes an application through the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS) or the Ontario Dental School Application Service (ODSAS), interviews, and the assessment of academic performance, research experience, and extracurricular activities.
3. Does Schulich offer scholarships or financial aid?
Yes, Schulich offers a variety of scholarships, awards, and financial aid options to support students. These include merit-based scholarships, need-based financial aid, and specific awards for research and community service.
4. What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Schulich?
Schulich maintains a relatively low student-to-faculty ratio, allowing for personalized attention and mentorship. This fosters a close-knit academic community where students can build meaningful relationships with faculty and peers.
5. Can students specialize in a specific area of medicine or dentistry at Schulich?
Yes, Schulich offers numerous opportunities for specialization, especially during the clinical years. Students can choose electives and rotations in various medical and dental specialties, including cardiology, pediatrics, surgery, and more.
6. What clinical training opportunities are available at Schulich?
Students at Schulich benefit from hands-on clinical training at leading hospitals and healthcare centers, including London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London. These affiliations provide students with exposure to diverse patient populations and a wide range of medical and dental cases.
7. Are there opportunities for international experience at Schulich?
Yes, Schulich offers global health programs and international electives that allow students to gain experience in healthcare systems around the world. This exposure is invaluable for students interested in global health issues and international healthcare practice.