Welcome to Mini Medical School at the University of Ottawa!

What is Mini Medical School?

Mini-Medical School is a popular and ever-growing concept being offered all over Canada and the United States for the public. It is an innovative and entertaining series of lectures on medicine and health that are 'just like going to medical school' (but without the long hours and hard work!). You won’t get a license to practice medicine, but you will learn a tremendous amount and leave a more educated consumer of the health care system.

The University of Ottawa launched this program in 2004 and over 2200 people have now "graduated" from our Mini Medical School.

Each series is designed to stimulate and satiate your curiosity about the human body and the many health issues we face as a society. It combines the basic sciences (anatomy, physiology) with clinical cases in each lecture so participants can experience ‘being a doctor’.

Come and join our expert presenters as they highlight their expertise in their informative and entertaining lectures.

Upcoming Series

Fall 2026 Series

Thursday Evenings from 18:00 - 20:00
September 24, 2026 - October 29, 2026
The Ottawa Hospital - Norman Paterson Amphitheatre
1053 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9

Session Highlights

  • Orthopedic Surgery: My path and how I operate
  • What the Public Should About Preventable Kidney Diseases
  • Advances in Kidney Research
  • MAID: What is Medical Assistance in Dying?
  • A Day in the Life of an Eye Surgeon
  • Why Do We Become Pediatricians? Tips for tailoring your practice to working with kids

Course Presentations

To ensure course participants receive the most up-to-date information and to lessen the environmental impact of our events, all available course materials will be posted to our participant website as soon as they become available. Printed course materials will not be available onsite.

We cannot guarantee that all course materials will be posted on the website.

Registration

REGISTER TODAY! 

 Please subscribe to be added to the mailing list for future series.

2026 RateStudent Rate (14+)Adult RateSenior Rate (65+)
Early Bird Registration*$175 + HST$215 + HST$195 + HST
Regular Registration$195 + HST$235 + HST$215  + HST

*Early Bird registration valid until August 24, 2026.

Mini Medical School - Fall Series 2026

Agenda (all lectures will be presented in English only)

  • Week 1 (September 24, 2026)
    • Why do we become pediatricians? Tips for tailoring your practice to working with kids (Dr. Melanie Bechard)
    • Orthopedic Surgery: My path, and how I operate (Dr. Alenko Sakanovic)
  • Week 2 (October 1, 2026)
    • What The Public Should Know About Preventable Kidney Diseases (Dr. Januvi Jegatheswaran)
    • Advances in Kidney Research (Dr. Chris Kennedy)
  • Week 3 (October 8, 2026)
    • The uOttawa Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI): Understanding Myotonic Dystrophy Beyond Muscle (Dr. Spendiff & Dr. Geertsma)
    • Life of a Pediatric Plastic surgeon in Ottawa and Abroad (Dr. Yvonne Ying)
  • Week 4 (October 15, 2026)
    • Compassion Meets Curiosity and Critical Thinking: Internal Medicine as a specialty (Dr. Michael Quon)
    • MAiD - What it is, and what the public needs to know (Dr. Osmaan Skeikh)
  • Week 5 (October 22, 2026)
    • Back Pain & Spinal Surgery (Dr. Jessica Rabski)
    • What ADHD is and is NOT! (Dr. Tessa Ritchie)
  • Week 6 (October 29, 2026)
    • Obesity: New medications, beyond the scale! (Dr. Judy Shiau)
    • Concussion Guidelines & What the Public Needs to Know (Dr. Sharon Johnston & Dr. Roger Zemek)

Join our mailing list today!