We reduce barriers, expand access, and create clearer pathways to support learners at every stage of their medical education journey.
Supporting Learners
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Reducing Barriers to Medical Education
Navigating the Medical Education Journey with Confidence
Transforming Access to Visiting Electives
Facilitating the Transition to Residency
Empowering Tomorrow’s Health Research Leaders
The cost of the MCAT® can be a significant barrier for Canadian students aspiring to enter medicine. The AFMC MCAT® Fee Assistance Program reduces this burden by providing financial support to students who would otherwise be unable to apply for medical school. In the past year, 449 students received financial assistance, which helped expand equitable access to medical education. By removing financial barriers, the program helps shape a more diverse physician workforce that better reflects and serves all Canadians.
students benefited
Receiving the MCAT Fee Assistance Award has been such a meaningful support in my journey toward medical school. It has helped ease the financial pressure of preparing for this important step, allowing me to focus more fully on my studies and future goals. This opportunity has reminded me that there are resources and communities out there that want to see students succeed.
— Faith Abel
Dalhousie University
Receiving the MCAT Fee Assistance Award was a powerful moment of recognition and support on my path toward medicine. As a refugee student, I faced many obstacles, especially being away from my parents, who remain in an occupied territory with limited access to financial systems. This award allowed me to move forward with my MCAT preparations without the added stress of financial strain.
— Ernest Selivanov
University of Alberta
Medicine has always been a dream of mine, but the cost of the MCAT felt like a massive barrier. I am financially independent, so I rely on my part-time job to cover living expenses. I was close to giving up on my dreams, until I learned I had been awarded the MCAT Fee Assistance Award. Not only did it reduce the financial burden of the MCAT, but it truly pushed me to work harder toward my goal of becoming a physician.
— Adam El Zarif
McMaster University
The path to and through medical school can feel overwhelming and unclear, with learners often left to navigate hidden expectations and scattered resources on their own. AFMC launched MEDPREPP to ensure no learner has to navigate the road to medicine alone. By integrating the Student Portal, CANPREPP, and Future MD into one streamlined platform, MEDPREPP provides clarity and equitable access to resources so students can focus on preparing for their future as physicians.
After 18 months of consultation with learners and faculties, AFMC relaunched the Student Portal with a new Capacity-Based Model — the most significant evolution since its creation in 2014. This achievement reflects a truly collaborative effort across Canada’s Faculties of Medicine, designed to deliver a fair, efficient, and student-centred approach to visiting electives.
Standardized Process
The new model streamlines activities into a defined two-week cycle, reducing complexity for staff and students.
Improved Student Experience
Application fees were eliminated; students now pay only an acceptance fee. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with faster turnaround times for application responses.
Fair and Transparent Placement
A lottery system ensures equitable access, eliminating the need for students to stay up late to submit applications.
Data-Driven Improvements
Real-time data enables the Portal team to make iterative changes, driving continuous enhancements and measurable progress.
increase in placements
Significant Growth
Applications surged with the removal of fees, and placements increased by 36% over last year. Impressively, 99.9% of students applying for more than two rounds received an offer.
The final year of medical school is pivotal. AFMC’s report, Rethinking the Final Year of Medical School
, outlines 20 priority recommendations across seven themes, from electives to wellbeing and anti-racism. Developed through two years of national consultations, these recommendations aim to make the transition to residency more supportive, equitable, and effective. An implementation advisory group, including learners and faculty, is now driving this change.
ICAM 2025 – Health Research Poster Competition
Amid tightening research budgets and growing pressures, supporting the next generation of clinician-scientists is critical to sustaining discovery and innovation in health care.
At ICAM 2025, AFMC celebrated learner excellence through the health research poster competition, where the top-ranked participants received a Gairdner Award—a distinction that included the opportunity to attend the Gairdner Science Week, offering mentorship and international visibility. One exceptional student earned a nomination to attend the prestigious Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany, joining a global community of emerging scientific leaders.
Building on this momentum, AFMC continues to work with the Gairdner Foundation to prepare learners to lead the future of health research and innovation.
ICAM has been an incredible launching pad for my career development. I have made many valuable long-term connections with both students and physicians from across Canada at ICAM……The Gairdner Foundation has done an excellent job at supporting early career researchers, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from such distinguished individuals.
— Kirk Haan
MD – PhD Candidate, Osmoregulation
University of Saskatchewan
…. The chance to present my research to the Gairdner awardees is by far the best experience I have had in my career; I received valuable feedback and had incredible scientific discussions with world leaders. I know that having the opportunity to attend the Gairdner Gala and the Lindau Nobel Meeting because of ICAM will uplift my career and create so many new opportunities for me.
— Courtney Marshall
PhD Candidate, Immunology
University of Manitoba
ICAM and Gairdner provided me with a platform to share my research with Gairdner Laureates and international leaders in science and medicine, while connecting with Canadian researchers, students, and potential collaborators…. From poster sessions and workshops to evening networking events, I received insightful advice, especially from physicians and researchers outside my field, whose perspectives offered fresh angles on my work.”
— Aline Atallah
MD – PhD Candidate, Cancer Immunology
McGill University
Participating in ICAM 2025 and being recognized by Gairdner has been extremely beneficial for my development. ICAM provided a unique platform to present my work to both scientific and clinical communities, helping me refine how I communicate structural biology to broader audiences……..Together, these opportunities have pushed my research forward and encouraged me to think more broadly about its impact.
— Tara Shomali
PhD Candidate, Pharmacology and Therapeutics
McGill University
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