Do I have a chance at US schools or should I go to Ireland?

[Boston92]

Hello all. First time poster on this forum- however, I have been on it many times in the past few years! A little history- I live in Manitoba (Canada) and just got refused by the U of M for the third year in a row- I have interviewed there 3 times. This has been the only school I have been applying to, because I thought that if I raised my MCAT score, I would get in- no such luck. So here I am, trying to figure out where to apply. 

My first MCAT was 507 (127/126/126/128), my second score was 506 (126/127/128/125) and my third was 514 (127/127/130/130). I am curious if anyone knows of a resource that explains how different schools view multiple scores (i.e. taking the top score, averaging scores, etc.).

I have completed a 3 year B.Sc. degree with a major in biochemistry and am 2 courses short of a 4 year degree. My cumulative gpa is 3.67 (on a 4 point scale). 

I have gone through the MSAR and have compiled a list of potential US schools, which is as follows (and the numbers do not represent my preferences):

1. Chicago Med Rosalind Franklin

2. Eastern Virginia Med School

3. Florida State University College of Medicine

4. George Washington University School of Med

5. Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

6. Tulane University School of Med

7. Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University

8. Central Michigan University College of Medicine

9. Sidney Kimmel Medical College (my gpa may be too low for this)

10. Tufts University School of Medicine

I would appreciate any input as to whether it is worth my time to apply to US schools (based on my stats), if the ones on my list make sense (should I get rid of any/add any), as well as if it would make more sense to apply to Ireland. Carribean schools are not a consideration at this time. Thank you for any input!

[avocado_toast]

Your most recent MCAT score is good and you have been getting interviews at U of M, which means that you are not being eliminated by your GPA or MCAT score. I think it’s possible that if you focus on your interviewing skills that you could be offered acceptance in the next cycle. 

In the meantime, I would focus on improving your overall application. You could finish the 4 year degree and get A+ in the courses you have left, increasing your GPA. You could get a job in research or start a masters degree to improve your research experience. You could pick up a couple of interesting ECs, possibly shadow some physicians in your area. 

Are you interested in practicing medicine in Canada? I wouldn’t apply to US schools or Ireland unless you are interested in working in those areas. It’s becoming more and more difficult to return to Canada for residency after doing an MD in the US or abroad. It’s also so much more expensive. 

U of M has some of the lowest medical degree tuition fees you’ll ever see. I would take a year or two and improve your application and reapply. Practice, practice, practice for your MMI. Gain some life experiences that make you a more interesting and competitive candidate. If you want to apply to a few additional Canadian schools like Queens, McMaster, or UBC, you could do that, but honestly you have such an advantage at U of M.

[Boston92]

Thank you for your input avacado_toast- I appreciate it! I do plan to apply again to u of m this coming cycle, but I would like some insight into the schools on my list and whether I should apply to those or any others. My concern is solely getting accepted into a medical school and working towards becoming a practicing physician. 

I am tired of putting all my eggs in one basket with u of m, and would like to get an acceptance somewhere.

If you or anyone else could help me with my list of schools, it’d be greatly appreciated. As well, I am a dual citizen (American and Canadian) and I am curious if that would change my status from an international applicant to an out of state applicant. Thanks to anyone putting their time in reading this!

 

[downinggr]

18 hours ago, Boston92 said:

Thank you for your input avacado_toast- I appreciate it! I do plan to apply again to u of m this coming cycle, but I would like some insight into the schools on my list and whether I should apply to those or any others. My concern is solely getting accepted into a medical school and working towards becoming a practicing physician. 

I am tired of putting all my eggs in one basket with u of m, and would like to get an acceptance somewhere.

If you or anyone else could help me with my list of schools, it’d be greatly appreciated. As well, I am a dual citizen (American and Canadian) and I am curious if that would change my status from an international applicant to an out of state applicant. Thanks to anyone putting their time in reading this!

  

As far as I'm aware as long as you're a US citizen, you would be considered as an OOS applicant.   I'm in the same boat as you citizenship-wise, and am applying to US schools this cycle after being waitlisted this year (just in case things don't pan out).

Keep in mind you will also be eligible for US Federal Loans to fund your studies if you do get accepted in the United States.

Problem with Ireland or other international locations would be the fact that you may have struggles getting US/Can residency.