No need for four years of undergrad: Western University adopts early entrance to med school, new pathway for Black applicants

Medical school hopefuls can now apply to Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University in London, Ont. during their third year of an undergraduate degree, the school announced. There’s also a new streamlined application process for Canadian students who self-identify as Black or multi-racial.Western University joins the majority of other Canadian medical schools who require only three years of undergraduate study prior to entering medical school. Students who apply must be enrolled in a four-year undergraduate degree.Meanwhile, the new Black Applicant Pathway was designed as part of a strategy to develop medical school graduates who reflect the general population. Students who self-identify as Black African, Black Caribbean, Black North American or multi-racial can apply to the pathway. A panel of physicians, community members and medical learners who self-identify as Black will review the applications. The panel members will all be trained in implicit bias and equity, diversity and inclusion practices. Applicants must provide a personal statement of less than 500 words that describes their Black experience.“This is very exciting for Black students who have felt their different lived experiences may not come across in interviews, resulting in lower scores compared to other candidates,” said Dr. Jedrin Ngungu, an assistant professor of Psychiatry who Chairs the School’s Medical Admissions Access Pathway sub-committee. “People will be excited to know they’ll have interviewers who share the same background and understand them.”There are no fixed medical school seats or quotas for students who self-identify as Black, and standards for high grades and MCAT scores remain. All applications will be assessed based on grades, MCAT scores, the personal statement, confidential assessment forms and a short autobiographical sketch.Removing barriers to applicants who self-identify as Black will not only benefit the medical school community, but the wider community as well.“Because I am in psychiatry, I see that people are very reluctant to open up because they fear being misunderstood or mislabeled,” Dr. Ngungu said. “When people see themselves in the physician population, they are more likely to come forward and seek help.”Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry already has application pathways for Indigenous students and other groups who are under-represented in medicine.“At Schulich Medicine, we remain committed to ensuring equitable access for all qualified applicants who want to join our MD program. We value contributing to future healthcare teams that will reflect the diversity of the Canadian population and the communities within which we serve,” said Dr. George Kim, associate dean of AdmissionsThe application process for the 2025 academic year begins in July.Information on the Black Applicant Pathway and other changes is on the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry website.Read: Interview by lottery: Queen’s University changes up medical school admission process

No need for four years of undergrad: Western University adopts early entrance to med school, new pathway for Black applicants

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