*MED YSP is moving online. Revised programming will be announced on May 14, 2020.

Each summer, high school students are offered an exclusive glimpse into the world of medicine and medical research by the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine. Students from across North America and around the world are invited to learn at Canada’s most prestigious medical school!

From its home in the University of Toronto’s Medical Sciences Building, in the heart of Toronto’s “Medical Discovery District”, the Med YSP offers students currently enrolled in grades 10 and 11 (or their international equivalents) four unique one-week modules that each introduces a major medical discipline. Grade 12 students are eligible, please read this FAQ before registering.

For more information regarding fees and dates click here.

Each module features lectures from world-class faculty and hands-on experimentation, guided by distinguished medical researchers, in cutting-edge research laboratories. The Med YSP’s unparalleled access to the University of Toronto’s medical faculty and teaching lab facilities allows participants to experience what it is like to be a student at Canada’s premier medical school.

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Academic Modules

Physiology Module: How The Body Works

Human anatomy and physiology are the foundations of medicine. This module allows students to explore the main systems in human physiology including:

Respiratory: Lung volumes
Cardio-vascular: Blood Pressure, Blood type
Neuro-muscular and Sensory: Recording physiological signs involved during a polygraph (Lie Detector Testing), visual acuity and hearing, and examining reaction times.

Molecular Biology and Genetics: Applications in Forensics & Medicine

From personalized medicine to criminal investigations, the science of molecular biology and genetics is at the centre of many of today’s most contentious issues. In this module, students learn about genomics technologies, forensic techniques such as DNA fingerprinting, and genetic transformation through a variety of hands-on laboratory activities, interactive discussions, and lectures from world-class speakers.

Highlighting the this module is the opportunity to learn basics of crime scene investigation from real forensic police officers and applying it to a mock crime scene.

Pharmacology & Toxicology: Medications, Drugs & The Body

For any student planning a career in the medical sciences, pharmacology and toxicology — which examines the interactions between chemical substances and the body — is an essential field of study. In this intensive hands-on module, students are introduced to pharmacogenetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology.

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics: Investigate the effects of chemicals in the environment on the rate of drug metabolism.
Pharmacogenetics: Investigate the phenotype-genotype relationship with caffeine as the model and learn why inheritance may cause the same drug to help one person and elicit an adverse reaction in another

Toxicology: Learn how exposure to drugs and chemicals can lead to unwanted or toxic effects.

Microbiology: Microbes & The Body

The past outbreaks of Ebola in West Africa and MERS in the Middle East are a stark reminder of the power of microbes despite major advances in our ability to understand them.

Students will hear talks from researchers who are leaders in their field, covering topics such as vaccines, antibiotic resistance, public health microbiology and how microbes cause disease. In the laboratory, students will learn fundamental concepts of microbiology by doing experiments such as:

Measuring sensitivity of bacteria to different antibiotics and common disinfectants,
Monitoring the effect of viruses on their host cells,
Isolating and identifying bacteria from environmental surfaces
Analyzing bacteria in water from different sources.