Let’s Talk About McMaster Health Sciences
As the final year of high school approaches for many of us, the idea of thoroughly researching, applying, and ultimately enrolling in an undergraduate program may seem overwhelming. With so many options to look into, it is definitely no easy task. This is why in this series, we will explore the variety of amazing programs Ontario has to offer for students thinking about a career in healthcare or medicine. The list goes on and on: U of T Life Sci, Western Med Sci, Ryerson Nursing, Waterloo Life Sci, Mac Health Sci, Queen’s Health Sci, etc. However, of these, one program in particular definitely stands out with its interdisciplinary approach to the study of human health, wellness, and illness. In this inaugural Exploring Undergraduate Programs series post, we will look into McMaster University’s Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) Program covering its admissions process, its courses; learning method, and career pathways, and, finally, the student experience in the program.
About McMaster’s Health Sciences Program:
McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, founded in 1974, oversees fourteen distinctive programs, one of which being the Bachelor of Health Sciences Program. However, what sets this program apart from others is, again, its unique interdisciplinary approach to the study of human health, wellness and illness through an understanding of health from biological, behavioural and population-based perspectives. It even utilizes all departments within the faculty along with clinical departments of Medicine, Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, and Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics! Something else that makes this Hamilton-based program special is how competitive it is to earn admission, with it being considered as the most selective undergraduate program to get into in Canada. In 2020, over 5000 students applied for the 240 spots the McMaster BHSc program offers, an annually-increasing statistic. This puts the program’s acceptance rate at approximately 4.8%, rivaling most Ivy League institutions; so getting accepted is a pretty big deal! The reason for this very low acceptance rate can be attributed to how one-of-a-kind the program is, the type of learners its admissions committee looks for, and the unique opportunities made available to students in the program.
Some of the program’s strong points relate to both its curriculum/structure and its many facilities. For example, its strong emphasis on group work, its diverse selection of exciting courses, and its commitment to inquiry-based learning collaborate with student access to a state-of-the-art Health Sciences Library, 21st century “teaching rooms,” a full on-campus teaching hospital, cadaveric specimens, and more to demonstrate just how much opportunity lies within BHSc to those interested in pursuing a higher education. Click here to watch a short virtual tour of the Health Sciences Library and click here to book your own virtual tour of the campus!
Also, something else that makes the program a good fit for most is its small class sizes. Despite what you may have read about the number of applicants (over 5000 in 2020), the program has a target enrollment of 240 students every year. This aspect of the program is a major advantage since it allows for increased learning opportunities and greater interaction with professors and peers. Not only does this provide more of a community feel within the program, but having the chance to freely interact with your professors/supervisors is very important if you’re thinking about asking them for a reference letter or if you require support in the course which can be received during their office hours. From this, along with the fact that McMaster University ranked as Canada’s most research-intensive university, it goes without saying that a program like BHSc is ideal for any student wishing to pursue a career in healthcare or medicine.
The Admissions Process:
Now onto the McMaster Health Sciences Admissions Process, probably the most important and inquired-upon aspect of the program itself. As explained above, earning a spot in the BHSc program is quite difficult. When an undergraduate program, or any university program for that matter, sets a high cut-off average or high academic standard, most students who end up applying turn out to be very similar in terms of academic achievements and skill sets. So, when the admissions committee sees thousands of the same applicant in terms of academics, they naturally enlist some sort of way to assess areas of an applicant that are not readily apparent on a transcript. McMaster Health Sciences has done this through their Supplementary Application, notorious for asking difficult thought-provoking questions that really allow the admissions committee to learn more about the applicant. But before we look into the supplementary application any further, let’s understand the program’s general admission requirements.
If you’re thinking about applying to BHSc, it’s crucial that you meet the program’s admission requirements which state that in Grade 12, you must have a minimum 90% average in the five required courses including one additional Grade 12 course to total six, and complete the supplementary application. See the prerequisites below.
- English U (ENG4U)
- Biology U (SBI4U)
- Chemistry U (SCH4U)
- One of Mathematics of Data Management U (MDM4U), Advanced Functions U (MHF4U) or Calculus & Vectors U (MCV4U).
- One non-math, non-technology, or non-science U or M credit (click here and scroll down to “Prerequisite Course Search” to ensure that your course meets this requirement)
- One additional U or M credit to total six courses
Note: The McMaster BHSc Admissions Committee does not accept or consider any additional documentation such as CVs, resumes, reference letters, etc.
Note: There is nowhere on the BHSc application for applicants to list their experience in extracurricular activities, volunteer work, research, etc. as these are also not accepted or considered in the admissions process. This is because access to these opportunities varies widely and mainly depends on the place a student lives and attends school.
Achieving this minimum average with these prerequisite courses along with completing the supplementary application only makes you eligible for consideration into the program. It is here when your grades and supplementary application score come into play.
Now, back to the supplementary application. So, as was being explained, McMaster Health Sciences uses the supplementary application to give students the chance to share their skills, experiences, thought processes, and other aspects of their life that they would like the admissions committee to know about them and that could not be communicated through the grades they had achieved. The questions are usually released in September, giving students over five months to formulate and perfect their answers before they have to submit them in early to mid February. The questions typically follow a specific setup with the first question prompting your creativity, the second varying in type year to year, and the third being a problem solving question in which you will be given data. It is important that when answering these questions, you demonstrate critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and excellent written communication skills. This way, you show that you are able to embrace the interdisciplinary learning style the program follows. However, there is no particular answer that the admissions committee looks for, which is why authenticity is key. If you’d like to take a look at some of the previous supplementary application questions BHSc has used, the program releases its questions every year to the public and can be found through a simple internet search!
Note: While extracurricular activities and similar experiences to it are not something separately considered in the admissions process, you can still integrate it into your supplementary application answer if the experience is relevant to the question.
The way admission decisions are actually made, however, is very interesting. First, the admissions committee made of faculty, staff, and fourth year BHSc students review the supplementary application questions and assign them a score. Each question on the supp app is scored by 2 people, meaning that a total of 6 committee members review the application and there are protocols in place that resolve any issues with significant discrepancies in scores between reviewers. After the supplementary application is scored, the committee turns to the OUAC grades handed in along with the questions and makes their final decisions from there by assigning cut-off averages for particular “clusters” of scores. For the cluster of applicants who achieved the highest score on their supplementary application, their cut-off average of the prerequisite courses could be as low as 90%, the next cluster who achieved slightly lower scores could have a cut-off in the low 90s (ex. 93%), the next cluster would have to have an average in the mid-90s (ex. 95%), and the last cluster, containing the applicants who had the lowest scores could have a cut-off average of up to 96% or 97%. This means that it becomes harder and harder to gain admission into the program with the decrease in score. However, these details are subject to change each year based on numerous factors. This is why McMaster Health Sciences emphasizes that students with averages across the range of 90% to 100% are able to earn a spot in the program!
Some tips for a successful supplementary application that I’ve gathered from my experience researching BHSc include…
- Be Authentic and as Creative as you Can
This mainly translates to be yourself! The McMaster Health Sciences Admissions Committee is not looking for a generic supplementary application as this only suggests that you are good at researching. Try your best to avoid clichés and stand out of the other 4,999 applicants (which is likely to grow overtime).
2. Start Early!
This is probably the most important tip to take away from this section. As obvious as this may seem, many applicants tend to underestimate just how long and how much effort is required to write an excellent supplementary application and leave it to the last minute. A high quality supplementary application requires passion, energy, and, most importantly, time. You want to give yourself plenty of chances to brainstorm, make mistakes, edit, and repeat.
3. Try to Incorporate Something Personal about you into your Answer (If Applicable)
As explained above, students that apply to a program like BHSc, with its high cut-off average, tend to have very similar academic achievements. Therefore, make yourself stand out from other applicants by incorporating something personal about you into your supplementary application answers. However, in order for this tip to be useful, remember to avoid clichés and make sure that the piece of information you provide is relevant to the question!
Coursework and Post-Graduate Pathways:
First-Year Courses, Electives, and Learning Structure:
A fundamental part of what makes McMaster Health Sciences so unique from other programs like it is its diverse selection of interdisciplinary core inquiry courses, its flexibility with student interests, and its unique approach to learning. To begin, there are seven compulsory courses students must take in their first year along with 9 units of electives! Such elective room really allows students to explore new hobbies and develop desirable career skills and abilities, all of which helps personalize their degrees. McMaster University offers a massive variety of elective options for students entering their first year. To view the full list of elective options available to students, click here and scroll down to page 9. See the first-year compulsory courses below.
- Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Introduction to Chemistry I
- Introduction to Chemistry II
- Inquiry I: Introduction
- Interdisciplinary Problem-Solving in Health
- Praxis Pathways I
- Introduction to Health and Safety
- 9 units of electives
In this list, you may come across some courses you haven’t heard of before such as Inquiry I: Introduction, and Praxis Pathways. These are courses exclusive to McMaster Health Sciences and they work to equip students with the necessary skill set and knowledge to become life-long learners who are experts in critical thinking. The Inquiry course is one that focuses on applying principles of scientific inquiry to selected healthcare issues. In later years of BHSc, this course focuses on specific areas of health science including biochemistry, and cell biology. The other course, Praxis Pathways is a course BHSc students are required to take all four years of the program. It focuses on developing student’s abilities for collaboration in community; group process; leadership; lifelong learning; perspective-taking; reflection and reflexivity; and self-care and wellness.
Another important aspect of McMaster Health Sciences is its teaching method. As explained above, a core philosophy of the program is its inquiry-based learning model. This means that, along with typical university courses that require more traditional study methods, others are “…designed to encourage students to ask questions, explore new ideas, and share them with others’’ (Master Student, 2021). To provide them with all the tools needed for them to succeed, students are also taught the importance of communication, research tools, and group work.
Speaking of group work, BHSc places a strong emphasis on collaboration and works to facilitate interdependent and independent small group learning. Part of this has to do with the program’s small class size. In these inquiry-based courses, it is very unlikely that you will be given an assignment in the program that doesn’t involve group work in some way, so for those of you who enjoy being in collaborative environments, McMaster Health Sciences is a great program to apply to!
One last thing I wanted to touch upon in this section was two of the one-of-a-kind courses available to BHSc students that I personally found interesting. The first is the third year Communication Skills course (HTHSCI 3S03) which focuses on the relationship between effective communication and desired healthcare outcomes, making it the ideal course for those interested in careers in healthcare and medicine. During the course, students will be exposed to a variety of learning experiences such as standardized patient simulations, evidence-based research, role playing, and audio-visual reviews. The second course is the different Anatomy and Physiology courses students are required to take after their first year in the program. Here, they will have the privilege of examining real cadaveric specimens in their study of the human body. This is a learning opportunity students rarely see in Ontario undergraduate science programs, making BHSc truly special.
Post-Graduate Pathways:
So we’ve spent all this time going over how great of a program BHSc is for students wanting to pursue careers in healthcare or medicine, but how many of them actually get there? Well, according to the “Post Grad” page on the BHSc website, it turns out that around 60% of McMaster Health Sciences graduates since 2003 have gone on to pursue a career in medicine, while approximately 15% pursued careers in healthcare ranging from speech-language pathology, nursing, physician-assistant, optometry, etc. Also, while most graduates who do not make up these statistics went on to pursue further education, other graduates have explored careers in different career sectors such as law, education, administration, social work, and even fashion design. See the full list here! To add, the mentioned 60% rate of graduates admitted to medical school out of BHSc is astronomically high as most undergraduate programs known for being “pre-med” don’t see this type of admission. Therefore, assessing these statistics, if you’re a student thinking about pursuing a career in healthcare or medicine, BHSc is a great way to get you there!
Student Experience:
The last thing we will cover here is the student experience in BHSc, an aspect of an undergraduate program that should be taken under consideration. There are 3 main reasons that McMaster Health Sciences, perhaps even McMaster University as a whole, offers a welcoming community feel to its students: its relatively small campus, BHSc’s class size and learning structure, and the amount of initiatives/extracurriculars/events that occur within the program.
First off, McMaster University is known to have a smaller campus compared to other universities such as U of T, Queen’s, and Western and this is an important factor as to why students believe the campus is like its own tight-knit community; everyone will get to know one another through classes, clubs, associations, and residence. This characteristic usually allows students from across programs to become friends, university-wide events to be more entertaining, and it makes getting involved in things like extracurriculars much easier.
Additionally, BHSc’s enrolment of approximately 240 people definitely plays a role in the way a student experiences the program. This small class size alone encourages active participation and acts as a place where students are able to build relationships with their peers in a much less overwhelming environment. With this, there is McMaster’s integration of group work as a core fundamental of the program which similarly allows BHSc students to develop lasting relationships with one another and make valuable connections with faculty, staff, and upper-year students.
Finally, the program’s variety of extracurricular activities and events (along with the rest of the university’s) really sets BHSc beyond other programs since it always seems to have something going on! Some of the program’s recent initiatives include the BHSc Fashion Show, the Health Sciences Musical, Student Z, the BHSc Photography Showcase, Girl Up McMaster, and more! Having such a wide range of activities to participate in allows students to not only get to know new people and explore their interests, but it also allows them to feel as if they are part of something — and whether that be part of a study group or a club member, McMaster Health Sciences’ welcoming atmosphere will give you the ideal undergraduate experience.
We hope that this overview of McMaster University’s Bachelor of Health Sciences Program gives you the insight you need to embark on the lengthy journey of its admissions process and, ultimately, make your decision of whether it would be a good fit for you. Stay tuned for next week’s Exploring Undergraduate Programs Series post where we will dive into another amazing program bound to set you on the path to a career in healthcare or medicine.
About the Writer: Hassan Hassan is an incoming Grade 11 student from Brampton, ON passionate about writing and STEM. With a strong commitment to helping others, he plans to pursue a career in medicine and enjoys participating in activities related to the field. An interesting fact about him is that he aims to be fluent in French by the time he graduates high school. In his free time, you can expect to find him reading, planning his day, volunteering at his local hospital, or binge-watching The Office.
