Indigenous Applicants

In order to address specific barriers and challenges that may disadvantage some First Nations, Inuit and Métis learners, programs within health science (including the Undergraduate MD Program) have implemented an Indigenous applicant process to create parity among applicants with an equitable admission process.

Applicants who wish to be considered under the Indigenous application process (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) will also be required, at the time of application, to provide:

A letter declaring Indigenous ancestry and giving specific information about First Nation, treaty, community or organizational affiliation. The letter should request consideration under the alternate process, and should expand on the candidate's academic and personal background, and reasons and motivation for wishing to become a physician.
A letter of recommendation from their First Nation, Band Council, Tribal Council, Treaty, community or organizational affiliation.
Proof of Indigenous ancestry. Acceptable proofs of ancestry include: Status or Treaty card, Métis Membership Card, Nunavut Trust Service Card or Inuit Roll Number. McMaster University will ONLY recognize Métis Membership Cards from the Provincial counterparts of the Métis National Council.

Click here to view the Métis Citizenship Website

McMaster University reserves the right to contact the card issuer to verify its authenticity.

Indigenous applicants are required to complete the OMSAS application and must meet the same minimum academic criteria for admissions as set out for the general pool of candidates (three or more years of undergraduate degree-level courses by May of the year of entry with an overall GPA of at least 3.00 as calculated on the OMSAS 4.00 scale and a minimum score of 6 on the Verbal Reasoning component of the MCAT or 123 on the Critical Analysis and Reasoning section of the MCAT 2015, and CASPer).

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Admissions

The MCAT

In order to reduce barriers for Indigenous applicants, provision of MCAT score may be deferred beyond the application deadline. Those Indigenous applicants wishing to delay taking the MCAT until after invitations to interview are sent out in early February are free to do so, but should be aware that they MUST forward a minimum MCAT verbal reasoning score of 6 or critical analysis and reasoning score of 123 to the Admissions Office before the offer of admission date in order to maintain eligibility. Indigenous applicants taking advantage of this opportunity should book their MCAT in the Fall to ensure they have secured a test date which has a score release date early enough to meet the deadline. Please note that a fee may be applied by MCAT for cancellations.
Indigenous Students Health Sciences Office

McMaster's Indigenous Students Health Sciences Office is designed to address three broad areas of need: increased student preparedness, entry and completion of health sciences programs; ongoing identification and removal of barriers to success within the university including increasing awareness of Indigenous health issues among the faculty and student body; improved relationship between the university and the local Indigenous communities.

Click here to visit the Indigenous Students Health Sciences Office website.
McMaster's Relationship with the Indigenous Community

Letter from Dr. William Coleman, Professor of Political Science, Canada Research Chair in Global Governance and Public Policy, regarding McMaster's relationship with the Indigenous Community.