Top 5 Medical Universities In Canada For 2024

Are you thinking of pursuing a medical career? Medicine is known to be the noblest profession of them all. Job opportunities in healthcare are in abundance especially in a post-pandemic world – not to mention it’s one of the highest-paying professions.

With many great medical universities around the world, why should you choose to study in Canada? Apart from ranking as the third-best country to study medicine globally, Canada also caters to international students’ long-term goals with exciting postgraduate programs and visa options to help them stay in the country and practice as healthcare professionals – guaranteeing a brighter future for them and their families.

Be a part of one of these top medical universities’ alumni when you graduate with a world-class medical degree…

1. McGill University

Location: Montreal, Quebec

Times Higher Education World University Ranking: #44

Number of International Students: 11, 000+

McGill University is favorably located in Quebec, Canada. The university has two campuses: the downtown campus in Montreal and the Macdonald campus in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. Quebec is Canada’s biggest and predominantly French-speaking province. However, the primary language of instruction at McGill is English.

The university is affiliated with multiple teaching hospitals, and its medical school is the oldest in Canada. The creation of the first artificial blood cell is among the research achievements associated with the university.

2. Toronto University

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Times Higher Education World University Ranking: #18

Number of International Students: 22, 728

U of T is probably the most well-known education institution in Canada and a popular choice for international students who study in Canada. You will be surrounded by a large multicultural environment, both in classrooms, as well as in the city.

The medical science campus is located in St. George in bustling Toronto that’s overlooked by the famous CN Tower. The university is ranked 4th best in the world for clinical medicine. One major innovation that came out of the University of Toronto is insulin, which researchers discovered in the early 1920s.

An advantage of studying at a designated university in Ontario is the option of applying for permanent residency through the International Student Stream once you graduate as a medical professional with arranged employment.

3. University of British Columbia

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

Times Higher Education World University Ranking: #37

Number of International Students: 17, 225

UBC has two main campuses – the Vancouver campus and the Okanagan campus located in Kelowna. UBC students’ favorite hangout spots include the Pit Pub, Stanley Park, and Wreck Beach. Not to mention taking a trip to Whistler during winter break for action-packed fun in the snow such as skiing and snowboarding.

UBC also boasts impressive alumni including Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. First-year international students can opt to enroll in the Vantage One program which aims to help students improve their English, in part by stretching their first year of study from eight to 11 months.

4. McMaster University

Location: Hamilton, Ontario

Times Higher Education World University Ranking: #80

Number of International Students: 5, 741

McMaster University is favorably located near the edge of Lake Ontario and close to the US border for a quick trip to The Big Apple if you’re feeling adventurous. The university’s international students hail from more than 75 countries, and its full-time faculty members come from more than 55.

Themed accommodation is available at the university such as an all-female community, a healthy active living community, and a global perspectives community (learn more in the video above). In addition, if you’re interested in neuroscience you’ll be able to study the brain of the late, great Albert Einstein that’s currently in a jar in one of the school labs at McMaster.

5. Queen’s University

Location: Kingston, Ontario

Times Higher Education World University Ranking: #251-300

Number of International Students: 4, 060

Queen’s University is suitably situated in Kingston and a 10-minute walk to downtown and the market square. The university is highly ranked as one of the best medical universities in Canada for its exceptional student experience. It has the most clubs of any Canadian university as well as more than 220 international exchange programs. Not to mention a Harry Potter reading room.

According to the Dean of the medical faculty, Queen’s four-year Undergraduate Medical Program is designed to provide a variety of innovative learning opportunities that will prepare international students to be highly desired postgraduate trainees and outstanding practicing physicians.