As few as four and as many as ten BMSc students have completed exchanges in each of the last ten years.

Some of the reasons that students have given for being discouraged about considering an exchange include:

• too many specific courses were needed for my module and I couldn't find all of them at an exchange institution
• thought it would take an extra year to complete my module/degree if I went on an exchange
• finances prevented me from doing an exchange

All of these are valid concerns but students are encouraged to contemplate the benefits of an exchange and:

• consider a module that provides more flexibility in course selection, as well as the length of exchange (full-year and one-term)
• plan ahead and look into summer courses, if necessary
• explore scholarship and funding opportunities, and find out from past exchange students about the realistic expenses involved in an exchange

BMSc students have gone to:

• Australia: University of New South Wales, University of Sydney, Australian National University
• Denmark: University of Copenhagen
• Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong
• Netherlands: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 
• Singapore: Nanyang Technological Univesrity, National University of Singapore
• South Korea: Korea University, Yonsei University
• Sweden: Stockholm University, Umea University
• United Kingdom: King's College London, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds, University of Nottingham, University of St. Andrews

BMSc students usually complete exchanges in Year 3 but a few students  have gone on exchanges in Years 2 and 4.

When contemplating an exchange for Year 2, keep in mind that:

• you must complete the courses listed in the Admission Requirements for the module to which you apply before Year 3
• there are certain conditions that have to be satisfied for admission to Year 3 BMSc, and that these conditions are a bit different for students in Medical Sciences 2 and students in the competitive pool

Realistically, you can only consider an exchange for Year 4 (and only one term of Year 4) if you are going to complete the Honours Specialization in IMS or Double Majors:

• you may not complete a Year 4 capstone course (research project or Medical Sciences 4990E or 4995E and 4930F) at an exchange institution.
• you must complete at least half of your 4000-level courses at Western, keeping in mind that the capstone course(s) must be completed at Western
• completion of a second-term exchange in Year 4 will defer graduation to Fall Convocation

One-term exchanges have become more popular than full-year exchanges for BMSc students.

When considering the length of an exchange (one term vs. full year):

• look at the module you wish to complete and consider a full-year exchange if most of the required courses are offered as full-year courses at Western

The modules in the BMSc Program are quite structured with certain courses that must be completed by the end of Year 2 (the Admission Requirements) and by the end of Year 3 (all courses in the Weighted Average Chart for the Honours Specialization modules).

Modules that tend to be better suited for students completing an exchange are those that:

• allow for more flexibility in course selection, or
• require mostly half courses in the year that you'll be on exchange (if you want to do a one-term exchange), or
• have some required courses that are offered in the summer

Feel free to book an appointment on the Connect with a BMSUE Coordinator page about the module you wish to pursue while completing an exchange.

Unfortunately, there is not a list of courses available for you to see which courses have been approved for BMSc students at exchange institutions.

The BMSUE Office does, however, keep track of the courses taken by BMSc students on exchange.

You can make an appointment with a BMSUE Coordinator  to find out if evaluations have previously been made for courses at the institution in which you are interested.

You will have to check with the medical school, graduate program, etc. to find out how they will consider your term/full year on exchange.

• as an example, see "Exchange Courses" under the heading of Grade Point Average (GPA) on Schulich Medicine's webpage for admission.

You will likely have to arrange for a transcript to be submitted from the exchange institution:

See Western International's webpages for Exchange and Study Abroad to find out the general differences between these two ways in which you can earn academic credits at a different institution.

You can find both exchange and study abroad destinations/partner institutions in Atlas by applying the appropriate filter for the Type of experience you wish to explore.

Only a few BMSc students have chosen to study abroad with one of Western's affiliated partners since these institutions do not tend to offer many science/basic medical science courses.

Grades from your exchange will appear as either "Pass" or "Fail" on your Western academic record and transcript.

If you apply to a professional or graduate program, then you will likely have to arrange for a transcript to be submitted from the exchange institution.

If you are admitted to a particular Honours Specialization module for Year 3 and:

• go on a full-year exchange in Year 3 and complete ALL of the courses listed in the Weighted Average Chart prior to Year 4:
  • then you are assured your spot in the same Honours Specialization module for Year 4
  • this assurance is given because, unlike students completing all of their courses at Western, a Weighted Average cannot be calculated for you.
• go on a one-term exchange in Year 3 and complete ALL of the courses listed in the Weighted Average Chart prior to Year 4:
  • then you may or may not be assured a spot in Year 4 of the Honours Specialization module to which you were admitted in Year 3.
  • if a Weighted Average can be calculated for you, then your continued registration in the module for Year 4 will not be assured but will be determined in the same manner as students who complete all of their modular courses at Western. 

Book an appointment with a BMSUE Coordinator for clarification about your situation.

You may apply for admission to the Honours Specialization module for Year 4 but you might not be considered for admission even if you complete ALL of the courses listed in the Weighted Average Chart prior to Year 4.

• if you complete the majority of the courses responsible for 2/3 of the Weighted Average at Western, then a Weighted Average will be calculated for you and you will be considered for admission to this module during the adjudication cycle in May
  
  
• if you complete the majority of the courses responsible for 2/3 of the Weighted Average while on exchange, then a Weighted Average will NOT be calculated for you. If admission to the module to which you wish to apply for Year 4 is competitive (i.e. there are more qualified students than there are spaces available), then you will not be considered for admission.

Book an appointment with a BMSUE Coordinator for clarification about your situation.