Indeed, ULaval, UMontreal and USherbrooke require fluency in french to enroll in the MD or residency, because 90%+ of patient speak french. Also teaching is done in french and all papers, exams, charts, orders, etc. must be written in french. We are still allowed to use books written in english though(thank god...). They will not teach you french and will assume you are functionnal.
I assume this also applies to visiting students since they'd interact with patients and fellow students, residents and attending.
As mentionned above, UMontreal as a greater blilingualism rate (students and patients population) than Usherbrooke or ULaval, so communication would be easier at montreal than at sherbrooke or Laval and you'd still be exposed to french
France french and Quebec french is also different, moreso in terms of medical speak. Quebec is more is more liberal at using roughly translated words (I often use english terms in PBL and it's not really frowned upon...) but in France their vocabulary is more precise (dare I say "intellectually masturbatory" ).
You could try Uottawa and ask to rotate at the francophone hospital (it's Montford, if I recall correctly). Uottawa is a bilingual university, the MD is given in either english and french.
