Medical Sciences Courses in Canada

The term medical sciences is given to the applied sciences which deal with health. These include biochemistry, biotechnology, genetics, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, physiology, pathology and toxicology and more besides. 17 universities in Canada are accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), ensuring high standards are met.

In terms of the undergraduate medical sciences education available in Canadian universities, it includes various general medical and health sciences bachelor degrees. Some examples of the BSc degrees on offer are the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree and the Undergraduate Medical Education program (UGME).

What topics are taught in a Medical Sciences course in Canada?

The Bachelor of Health Sciences degree introduces students to areas of health sciences and research. It is an honours degree program heavily focusing on research. The 3 main areas of concentration in the Health Sciences degree are biomedical sciences, bioinformatics and health and society. These subjects reflect the interdisciplinary nature of medical sciences and prepare students for graduate study in a specialist area of medical sciences.

The UGME is also a 4 years honours degree based around social sciences, epidemiology, human sciences and biomedical sciences. The aim of the UGME is to mould students into caring, responsible and critical physicians. Once the UGME is completed, students can make an informed decision about which area of medical sciences they want to study at postgraduate level. Graduate programs in all areas of medical sciences are available and can be applied to with an undergraduate degree in health sciences, UGME or a relative science degree.

Career options upon completion of a Medical Sciences course in Canada

In order to practice medicine a Medical Doctor degree (MD) must first be completed, acting as a first professional degree.  The MD is the basic medical degree and it can be undertaken in collaboration with any branch of medical science.  McGill University in Montreal, one of the world’s leading higher education institutions, also offers the Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery Degree (MDCM), a highly specialised qualification.  Traditionally, studying a medical science at graduate school leads to a career as a doctor or dentist but job opportunities for medical science postgraduates are widening, particularly in the area of research.