Plan Your Courses

Before you graduate with an Honours Specialization in IMS, you must take another 0.5 course in Chemistry numbered 2100-3999 or a half course from Group 1 or 2. When you take this half course, and which half course to choose, is up to you.

Chemistry 2223B is chosen by many students in the Honours Specialization in IMS and it is more often taken in Year 2 than in Years 3 or 4. Chemistry 2223B is a prerequisite for Biochemistry 3381A and 3382A (Group 1 courses), as well as Biochemistry 3380G and Microbiology and Immunology 3620G (Group 3 courses). If you want to have the opportunity to choose these Biochemistry/Micro Imm courses in Year 3, then you need to take Chemistry 2223B before Year 3.

Epidemiology 2200B is required in Year 2 if you want to take 3000-level courses in Biostatistics or Epidemiology in Year 3.

Microbiology and Immunology 2500A/B is required in Year 2 if you want to take 3000-level courses in Microbiology and Immunology in Year 3.

The signature (capstone) and mandatory courses of this module are Medical Sciences 4900F/G (lab) and Medical Sciences 4930F/G (associated lecture).  As students in this module have taken a variety of 3000-level basic medical science courses, the lecture course has been set up to provide you with background material that complements the lab.

Medical Sciences 4900F/G and 4930F/G  MUST be taken in the same term , i.e. both as "F" or both as "G".

You must register for both Medical Sciences 4900F and 4930F (or 4900G and 4930G) in the same transaction since one course is the necessary corequisite for the other course.

If you are planning on spreading the Year 4 requirements of the Honours Specialization over two years, i.e. doing a fifth year, please note that Medical Sciences 4900F/G and 4930F/G must be taken in Year 4 (when you are admitted to Year 4 Honors Specialization in IMS) - they cannot be delayed until a fifth year. We do not recommend delaying any of the additional 4000-level courses to a fifth year.

• there can be 180 students in the Honours Specialization in IMS and 90 spaces in Medical Sciences 4900/4930 in each term. You might not be successful in getting spots in these two half courses in the term that you want so be prepared with a Plan B that schedules these two half courses in the opposite term (along with the other four 4000-level half courses spread between the two terms).
• special permission is not granted to register in a section of 4900F/G or 4930F/G, exceeding the maximum capacity.
• Medical Sciences 4931F/G cannot be taken by students in the Honors Specialization in IMS in place of Medical Sciences 4930F/G

In addition to Medical Sciences 4930F/G and 4900F/G , you must complete 2.0 courses at the 4000-level from at least two of the following subject areas: Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Medical Biophysics, Medical Sciences, Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology.

Note: Pharmacology and Physiology are two different subject areas, as are Biostatistics and Epidemiology.

The constraint charts provide a good indication of whether or not you'll have priority access to basic medical science courses. Some departments (e.g. Anatomy and Cell Biology, Physiology and Pharmacology, etc.) reserve spaces in their 4000-level courses for students in their Honors Specialization modules and you may have good, limited or no access to some of the 4000-level courses offered.

Refer to the chart of reserved spaces in 4000-level courses to see if you have a good chance (or limited chance or not a hope) of getting into the 4000-level courses when your enrollment date arrives. 4000-level basic medical science courses that are not included in the chart don't suffer from enrollment pressure. If the spaces reserved for IMS students in a particular course fill up, more IMS students cannot register for the course even though the entire course may not be full (error message = "available spaces are reserved ..."). If this happens, you have to wait until the Advanced Priority for IMS students opens or Priorities Lift to try again:

• July 16th - Advanced Priority for IMS students:
  Students in the Honors Specialization in IMS will be able to access any remaining spaces in Pharmacology and Physiology courses on July 16th (as soon as the clock/date changes from 11:59 p.m. on July 15 to 12:00 a.m. on July 16), if these courses are indicated with AP or PL+AP in the constraint charts.
• July 19 -Priorities lift and reserved spaces disappear: Priorities and reserved spaces in basic medical science courses disappear when registration resumes on July 19. If a course is restricted, the restriction never lifts.

If you haven't completed all of the Group requirements (see the Academic Calendar and below), you must do so in Year 4:

• 3.0 courses must be completed from Groups 1 and 2 with a minimum of 2.5 courses selected from Group 1 (you don't have to take any Group 2 courses)
• 0.5 course from: Group 3 (or Phys Pharm 3000E)

You may only count a maximum of 2.0 courses from one subject area (e.g. a maximum of 2.0 courses in Biochemistry) toward these 3.5 courses.

Note: Special permission is not granted to take an additional 4000-level basic medical science course to replace a course from the Groups.

Essay requirement:
You must complete 2.0 essay courses as a graduation requirement. The Honours Specialization in IMS contains 2.0 essay courses (Biology 2290F/G, Group 3 course, Medical Sciences 4900F/G and 4930F/G).

Breadth requirement:
You must complete 1.0 course from Category A and 1.0 course from Category B as a graduation requirement (1.0 of which should have been completed in first year).

Marks and average requirements:
You must achieve a minimum mark of 60% in each course that is part of your module and, in order to graduate, you must have a minimum cumulative modular average of 70% (overall on the 10.0 courses listed in the Honors Specialization in IMS).

We have negotiated with the various basic medical science departments to have access to as many spaces as possible in their 4000-level courses. Check the chart of reserved spaces in 4000-level courses to see what access you may have for the 4000-level courses you want to take. Be prepared to register for other 4000-level courses and try again later in the summer when priorities lift to get into the courses you want.