Medical Notes
- From a Doctor/Nurse
- From an Access Advisor, Counsellor or Local Wellness Advisor
- From a Psychiatrist
From a Doctor
Medical notes are available from a doctor at the practitioner's discretion. You can request a medical note during an appointment.
McGill’s policy on medical notes is as follows:
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Medical notes will only be issued on the day of the missed exam, assignment, project, class or conference. Absolutely no medical notes will be written for past illnesses (i.e. on a weekend, the day before, etc.).
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Medical professionals do not have the authority to exempt students from exams, presentations, etc. The final decision will be taken by your professor, faculty and/or department.
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Because of the high volume of patients, please call as early as possible to book an appointment and ensure you’ll be seen as soon as possible.
As we cannot accommodate drop-ins, please consult Santé Montréal for a list of off-campus clinics. Please note you may be charged for this service.
From an Access Advisor, Counsellor or Local Wellness Advisor
While counsellors and local wellness advisors don't make decisions regarding academic accommodations, they can provide letters of support in certain cases. If you're seeing a clinician prior to exams or deadlines, you can talk to them about receiving a letter outlining the circumstances that have contributed to any academic difficulties.
*Please note that letters are not written after the fact if the clinician has no previous knowledge of the circumstances leading up to the difficulty. Documentation is only provided at follow-up appointments with a clinician (not an initial consultation). As Access Advisors meet students only for initial consultations, they do not provide letters of support.
From a Psychiatrist
Medical notes from a psychiatrist are written on a case-by-case basis.
Immunization Reviews
Vaccine Requirements For Health Care Programs
Students registered in a health care program may need to complete a series of immunizations prior to being admitted to a program of study or placed in a clinical setting. We recommend starting the process as soon as possible as some vaccines may require you to follow immunization schedules that last several months. Delays in completing your immunization requirements or failure to complete the process may result in the revocation of your offer of admission or clinical placement.
Students are asked to submit their duly completed and signed immunization forms (with supporting documentation if specified) or their supporting immunization documentation here:
Our expected turnaround time to review submissions and communicate the results with your unit is up to 4 weeks. A confirmation e-mail will be sent to you once your documents have been reviewed.
Please select the appropriate form for additional instructions from your faculty:
Where Can I Get A Vaccine?
Students are encouraged to complete their form at a local clinic or CLSC. Alternatively, students may also submit copies of their supporting documentation (childhood vaccination booklet, x-rays, laboratory results, and medical consultations) directly to the Student Wellness Hub via our immunization portal for review by our nursing team. Prior to doing so, please ensure you have opened a medical file at the Student Wellness Hub and completed our consent form as we cannot proceed to review your submission without these prerequisites. Should you have questions, our front-line services team can help guide you through the process during our normal business hours.
Nurses follow the guidelines from the Protocole D'Immunization du Quebec (PIQ) for all public health vaccines.
You may find immunization services through:
- Vaccines411.ca
- Your local pharmacy
- Community Health and Social Services Centres (CLSCs) (for RAMQ holders) - based on your postal code
- Clinics: private or travel
- Jewish General Hospital TB Clinic for TST testing (need MD referral)
- Montreal Chest Institute (with referral from Hub doctor or nurse)
How Much Do Vaccines Cost?
Costs vary by vaccine. Some are free or reimbursable; consult the Quebec Immunization Program and check your insurance coverage (SSMU/PGSS/MCSS or Blue Cross International Health Insurance plans). Certain vaccines are only free for Health Science students.
