Both the undergraduate calendar on the registrar's site and mosaic's planning app are not quite sure which courses are actually being offered. The only way to tell for sure which courses are offered is through the timetable on mosaic. I have a short summary here, including descriptions:

Courses offered in 2015-16
Physics 1C03 - a course for people who care about physics*; requires Grade 12 physics
Physics 1CC3 - the course after 1C03; requires 1A03 OR 1C03

Physics 1A03 - a course for people who only need physics to get into med school (or other ulterior motives)*; does not require Grade 12 physics
Physics 1AA3 - the course after 1A03; requires 1A03 OR 1C03

Physics 1D03 - a course for engineers (approx. equivalent to 1A03/1C03)
Physics 1E03 - a course for engineers (approx. equivalent to 1AA3/1CC3)

Physics 1X00 - a course for people in the physics program; it doesn't give any credit, but it's a program requirement

Old Courses hanging around the system
Physics 1F03 - this is now Astron 1F03, but it's sometimes still labelled as Physics
Physics 1L03 - a substitute for Grade 12 physics
Physics 1B03 - the old 1A03, except it required Grade 12 physics
Physics 1BB3 - the old 1AA3
Physics 1BA3 - the old 1CC3

*note - this is a very blunt way to describe the difference. There used to be a note on the physics and astronomy website which said that 1C (1BA3 at the time) was for students in physics, chemistry and math and 1A (1BB3 at the time) was for students in biology, neuroscience or psychology. Maybe that's the more politically correct way to say it.

Personal note: I took 1B03 and 1CC3 last year. (1A03 is basically the new 1B03) The 1C courses are much, much better than 1A. Even if you only need physics to get into med school, if you enjoy physics, you should still take 1C courses. You need to take 1A03 if you didn't take Grade 12 physics, but you can still take 1CC3 after 1A03. Also, Dr. Karen Hughes is absolutely amazing. Be warned though, she will give you your money's worth so it's probably not the bird course you were looking for.

If anyone reading this knows how to update these websites... please, please do so because people are missing out on physics courses. (The reason I accidentally took 1B03 last year was a website mistake)

I have asked a question at askMcmaster; e-mailed [email protected] master.ca and asked in person at the registrar's office. I have not gotten any answers. I went to the department of physics office and asked; they promised to do something, but I may have to go bother some more people.

Also, if I've made any mistakes in my list of courses, let me know. I'm pretty sure I have things straight, but my sources are word of mouth from various professors and staff in the physics department and bits and pieces from the registrar's site and mosaic.

this is amazing! thank you so much! LOVE the honesty about ulterior motives, LOL

Also, for the ulterior motive of medschool, do we have to take 1AA3 after 1A03 ??

I have no idea. It probably depends on which med school you go to. It must be necessary for something though because there are a lot more sections of 1A03/1AA3 than 1C03/1CC3.

The C stream is for people who got balls. It is not required for entrance into Level II physics (or any other programs), but it teaches you useful stuff instead of padding your GPA.

A well-fought exam! Remember what you DID, not what you dind't. I'm sure it will be fine. - Dr Karen Hughes (1CC3), after the final exam.

Dr. Hughes was right about the exam. It felt brutal, but there must have been some serious curving going on because (at least for me) it didn't really bring down my mark. Anyways, if you need any help while in 1C03/1CC3, like I mentioned before, Dr. Hughes is truly incredible and cares and will help if you ask for it. But definitely prepare to do work yourself.

You do NOT need to take ANY of these physics courses for an Ontario medical school.

In fact, there is one medical school in the entire country which asks for physics: McGill, which favours students from the province of Quebec and is not worth applying to for most Ontarians.

For the vast majority of people, physics is not a necessary pre-requisite for entry.

A lot of people think you need to take it for the MCAT. The standards for MCAT physics performance are also low in Ontario, and most schools do NOT care if you perform at a higher level on it. By low, I mean that on the old scale which was from 1 to 15, the schools that asked for the MCAT exam required a 9 on it. A 9 is about a 65th percentile score, which is readily attainable with high school physics and some self-study. Only take undergraduate physics if for some reason you truly think you need the extra work AND you are confident you are able to do well in the course. Your GPA >>>>>> your MCAT PS score.

And if you do end up taking 1A03, make sure its with a lab. McGill and American med schools want physics WITH lab. They will not accept anything else as valid.

So has 1L03 been discontinued? I know it was offered this summer but I couldn't find it offered through Mosaic for the terms starting in September. I heard 1L03 was easiest which was comforting because I'm not super confident in my physics abilities—I guess I have to take 1A03 now?

That's right, 1L03 is offered for the last time this summer, so you will have to take 1A03.

Can I take 1A03 even if I took gr 12 physics?

Grade 12 physics isn't listed as an anti-requisite, so you should be able to take 1A03.

Update: the list of electives available to first year students on the academic calendar has been updated to include Physics 1A03, 1AA3, 1C03 and 1CC3. 1BB3 and 1L03 have to remain there for the summer because they are still offered this summer.

So, are 1S03 and 1E03 not considered actual physics? :S (Biophysics and physics in medicine biology)

Originally Posted by sdx55555

So, are 1S03 and 1E03 not considered actual physics? :S (Biophysics and physics in medicine biology)

That depends on who is "considering" them. They're physics courses, but whether or not they meet requirements for various programs is up to the program itself.