The Medical Sciences PhD at McMaster University is a research-intensive, thesis-based doctoral program in the Faculty of Health Sciences, offering multidisciplinary graduate education across several areas relevant to human health. The program prepares students for careers in translational research through ongoing interaction between basic scientists and clinical faculty, spanning multiple departments and disciplines. Students carry out original research in one of five areas: metabolism and nutrition, blood and vasculature, cancer and genetics, infection and immunity, and physiology and pharmacology. The degree is offered on a full-time basis and is structured as a four-year thesis program, with a faculty supervisor guiding each candidate's dissertation research. The typical intake is each September, and the application system stays open from November through August. The program also underpins a combined MD/PhD track for students pursuing both a medical degree and doctoral research training, though the standalone PhD is intended for students entering directly into biomedical and health-related research.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Applicants normally hold a completed Master's degree with distinction in their previous graduate work, equivalent to at least a McMaster B+ average, along with strong letters of reference. Admission directly from a Master's program without completing the degree, or in exceptional cases directly from a Bachelor's degree, is possible where the applicant shows sufficient promise including at least an A average; such students are reviewed after one year and may instead be registered as a Master's candidate. Official transcripts from every post-secondary institution attended are required. Admission is competitive: meeting the minimum average does not guarantee a place, and the relevant Faculty's Graduate Admissions and Studies Committee makes the final decision. Applicants whose primary language is not English must supply an IELTS score of at least 6.5 overall (minimum 5.5 per band) or a TOEFL iBT score of at least 92, unless exempted for having completed a degree taught in English.
