Eligibility criteria of English-speaking medical schools in Canada in the 2022–2023 admission cycle that may disproportionately affect applicants with disabilities (13)
| Policy | No. of English language medical schools n = 14 | Implications for accessibility |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants must meet requirements in a technical standards document, including physical and sensory capabilities | 14 | Applicants with disabilities who are capable of practising medicine using accommodations or alternatives may be discouraged from applying or excluded from admission based on these standards. |
| Applicants required to take a full course load for all or part of their undergraduate studies | 5 | Many applicants with disabilities require reduced course loads or academic leaves of absence because of medical circumstances. |
| Restrictions on courses taken online or by distance education during undergraduate studies | 2 | Distance education or online courses may be more accessible and preferred by applicants with disabilities. |
| Requires a minimum grade point average during undergraduate studies | 12 | Discrimination, illness and inaccessibility of undergraduate education may variably affect grades of students with disabilities. |
| Requires the MCAT | 11 | Applicants with disabilities may be disadvantaged by standardized tests despite accommodations. |
| Requires the CASPer | 7 |
Note: CASPer = Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics, MCAT = Medical College Admission Test.