Medical School Second Undergrad Degree Policies (Updated Aug 8, 2012)

[nwo4life2011]

This was the reply I was given a few months back regarding the 3/5 senior course requirement for Western:

 

"You may be mixing up the requirements for a second undergraduate degree with the requirements for a 'special year'. If you are doing a second undergraduate degree, 3 of 5 full or equivalent courses taken in each of the upper years must be senior-level courses (2nd-year or above). More information can be found at our website: http://www.schulich.uwo.ca/admissions/medicine/index.php .

 

I hope this clarifies our requirements for you.

 

M Kennard

Medicine Admissions Coordinator"

 

This probably raises more questions than answers, but at least its an indication as to how they may reply to any of your emails.

[Der Kaiser]

I was under the impression that 2000 level up were acceptable for the senior rule. This will be my second year of the degree but technically a 3rd year according to the way the university looks at me (I am doing a 4-year degree in 3 years).

 

@Legion: That actually clarifies things a bit, since the 2nd year courses I need are prereqs for later courses. I only need to take one first year course now, so I am not worried about too many of those. I'm worried about too many second year courses.

 

I'll edit this post and add the reply I get when I receive it for the sake of others using this thread.

 

The response I received from UWO on June 19th was as follows:

 

Hello Der Kaiser,

 

In each year of a second undergraduate degree program, you must have 3 of 5 full or equivalent senior-level courses. Senior-level courses are second-year or above.

 

I hope this helps.

 

M Kennard

Medicine Admissions Coordinator

[paloma22]

[ Depends on how many courses you have taken. List all your courses and their grades grouped by semester and we'll have a look.

 

My grades are briefly as follows

1st undergrad:

year 1: full course load (10 credits) - 2.47

year 2: 9 credits - 3.04 + summer course

year 3: 10 credits - 3.47 + 2 summer courses

year 4: 7 credits - 3.62

 

MA grades (course based) - approximately 3.8/4

about 2 small publications and a published report. Also have a conference from undergrad thesis.

 

2nd undergrad (all full course load)

year 1: 3.87

year 2: 3.92

 

So, given this, how would U of T evaluate me? Would I be competitive (strictly academically), or no chance? Just trying to figure out the weighting, etc.

 

Also given the above, where are my best chances? No, I have not yet written the MCAT.

[Legion]

 

My grades are briefly as follows

1st undergrad:

year 1: full course load (10 credits) - 2.47

year 2: 9 credits - 3.04 + summer course

year 3: 10 credits - 3.47 + 2 summer courses

year 4: 7 credits - 3.62

 

MA grades (course based) - approximately 3.8/4

about 2 small publications and a published report. Also have a conference from undergrad thesis.

 

2nd undergrad (all full course load)

year 1: 3.87

year 2: 3.92

 

So, given this, how would U of T evaluate me? Would I be competitive (strictly academically), or no chance? Just trying to figure out the weighting, etc.

 

Also given the above, where are my best chances? No, I have not yet written the MCAT.

 

 

You don't qualify for weighting at UT. So your GPA would be cumulative (2nd and 1st undergrad).

 

Your GPA is good for Queens, Western and Ottawa. Also depends on how well you do on your MCAT. Mac is also a possibility.

[paloma22]

You don't qualify for weighting at UT. So your GPA would be cumulative (2nd and 1st undergrad).

 

Your GPA is good for Queens, Western and Ottawa. Also depends on how well you do on your MCAT. Mac is also a possibility.

 

I dont understand, why would I not qualify for weighting at U of T?

 

What do I need to do for them to only look at 2nd undergrad and/or Masters ? (Would I need to take a 3rd year?)

[ArchEnemy]

I dont understand, why would I not qualify for weighting at U of T?

 

What do I need to do for them to only look at 2nd undergrad and/or Masters ? (Would I need to take a 3rd year?)

 

There is nothing much you can do. UofT will look at all courses taken during both your undergrads and MSc. Dire consequences for failure to declare any study undertaken at the post-secondary institutions.

 

You don't qualify for weighting because you have to take a full course load throughout your undergrads since they look at both.

[paloma22]

There is nothing much you can do. UofT will look at all courses taken during both your undergrads and MSc. Dire consequences for failure to declare any study undertaken at the post-secondary institutions.

 

You don't qualify for weighting because you have to take a full course load throughout your undergrads since they look at both.

 

To clarify, U of T's policy is always cumulative (like that of Macs.. 1st UG + 2nd UG)? So basically, my chances at Toronto would be slim, even if I extended the 2nd undergrad to 3 years ?

 

Basically, like Mac, I can never escape my undergrad marks at U of T, and because my first undergrad was not consistently full time, I cannot qualify for weighting?

 

Is this correct ? Apologies if I am eternally confused about this

[jerkstore]

There is nothing much you can do. UofT will look at all courses taken during both your undergrads and MSc. Dire consequences for failure to declare any study undertaken at the post-secondary institutions.

 

You don't qualify for weighting because you have to take a full course load throughout your undergrads since they look at both.

 

This is just University right? I went to CC for a bit after high school.

[Dr.Henderson]

To clarify, U of T's policy is always cumulative (like that of Macs.. 1st UG + 2nd UG)? So basically, my chances at Toronto would be slim, even if I extended the 2nd undergrad to 3 years ?

 

Basically, like Mac, I can never escape my undergrad marks at U of T, and because my first undergrad was not consistently full time, I cannot qualify for weighting?

 

Is this correct ? Apologies if I am eternally confused about this

 

That's correct.

[Legion]

To clarify, U of T's policy is always cumulative (like that of Macs.. 1st UG + 2nd UG)? So basically, my chances at Toronto would be slim, even if I extended the 2nd undergrad to 3 years ?

 

Basically, like Mac, I can never escape my undergrad marks at U of T, and because my first undergrad was not consistently full time, I cannot qualify for weighting?

 

Is this correct ? Apologies if I am eternally confused about this

 

 

Even if you do another 10 years of undergrad, you can never wipe your first undergrad GPA.

 

You have a good shot at other Universities though.

[paloma22]

That's correct.

 

boo-urns.

 

I actually thought one of my better chances would have been toronto, given their somewhat positive look at grad student productivity. but it seems that despite it all, i still can never escape the first undergrad marks

[rmorelan]

boo-urns.

 

I actually thought one of my better chances would have been toronto, given their somewhat positive look at grad student productivity. but it seems that despite it all, i still can never escape the first undergrad marks

 

as others have said - at that school. There are others however that are very open to what you have done and do completely ignore those earlier marks. Many non trads use those routes to get in

[ArchEnemy]

This is just University right? I went to CC for a bit after high school.

 

I believe you are also required to declare your CC grades, since it is technically a post-secondary institution, but those courses will not be taken into consideration for GPA calculation and weighing formulas.

[nwo4life2011]

So the University of Saskatchewan has finally come out with their updated policies regarding their medical school requirements. From my understanding, these changes are bad news for OOP applicants, as they must have an 83% average over their 4 years. Thus, my understanding is that OOP applicants will not be able to escape their bad first degrees with excellent second degrees, as all grades are now taken into account.

[Der Kaiser]

So the University of Saskatchewan has finally come out with their updated policies regarding their medical school requirements. From my understanding, these changes are bad news for OOP applicants, as they must have an 83% average over their 4 years. Thus, my understanding is that OOP applicants will not be able to escape their bad first degrees with excellent second degrees, as all grades are now taken into account.

 

They don't really address second degrees for OOP applicants. It may be the case that they will only look at grades from the second degree. I will write the admissions office to confirm.

[Der Kaiser]

I received a reply from USask this morning:

 

Hello Der Kaiser,

 

We will calculate your GPA using the degree which was started 48 months prior to completion of the degree. If both degrees took 48 months to complete, then we will use the degree which serves you best (whichever one you obtained the higher average in).

 

Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

 

Chelsey Hein

 

Basically, your first degree will not count, but this 48 months thing is confusing. I wonder if it means you actually have to take four years to complete the degree, or if it has to be a 4 year degree. If the former, not many OOPers are going to follow that rule just to apply to USask, since other schools do not make this distinction.

 

p.s. could a mod edit the USask entry at the beginning accordingly?

[Outlaw]

I think they are saying you need to have 4 full years for any degree to count. The 48 months idea seems to be emphasized. It basically closes the door for anybody doing a second degree unless they did a 4 year degree in 4 full years.

[tooty]

Der Kaiser, can you ask USask to clarify if outlaw's interpretation is correct?

 

I'm also interpreting that they only accept 4-year degrees and that if you have more than one 4-year degree, they'll take the higher.

[doctoreh]

Hey guys, I was just wondering if there is a requirement that the second degree cannot be the same as the first one. For example I have a Bsc in Life Sciences from McMaster and am about to begin a second degree which is a Bsc in Kinesiology at a new institution. I read in another thread that if my second degree is also granting me a Bsc that it wont be valid because it is the same as the first one :s I have not read this rule anywhere on any school's website. Does anyone know if it is true or is anyone able to provide any further clarification regarding this matter? Much appreciated.

[Legion]

Hey guys, I was just wondering if there is a requirement that the second degree cannot be the same as the first one. For example I have a Bsc in Life Sciences from McMaster and am about to begin a second degree which is a Bsc in Kinesiology at a new institution. I read in another thread that if my second degree is also granting me a Bsc that it wont be valid because it is the same as the first one :s I have not read this rule anywhere on any school's website. Does anyone know if it is true or is anyone able to provide any further clarification regarding this matter? Much appreciated.

 

Contact Med schools admissions and ask. Its the best and safest way. You don't want to end up doing a second bsc just because someone here told you its OK while admission says otherwise. It is possible that different Med schools have different rules about this.

[jojoluvsu2]

Two BSc degrees would be fine, so long as the courses taken are sufficiently different. Normally if you're applying for a second degree, you provide the new institution with your old transcripts and they'll assign transfer credits as well as a list of courses you cannot take as you have already gained credit for a similar course.

 

Examples: BSc in physics vs. a BSc in Nutritional science. Both BSc degrees, but very different in content.

[dazzle]

I'm doing a second degree. My first degree was part-time and with an awful GPA.

 

I'm looking here at my options and see a few schools who consider the best 2 years. I'm wondering what happens to me since my second degree is only 75 credits and at time of application, I will only have 45 credits done (=1.5 years, not TWO). How would that work?

 

I know that is good for McGill but what about UWO, Dalhousie, etc?

[jsn23]

I'm doing a second degree. My first degree was part-time and with an awful GPA.

 

I'm looking here at my options and see a few schools who consider the best 2 years. I'm wondering what happens to me since my second degree is only 75 credits and at time of application, I will only have 45 credits done (=1.5 years, not TWO). How would that work?

 

I know that is good for McGill but what about UWO, Dalhousie, etc?

 

I know that Dal will either look at your best 3 of 4 years or your last two consecutive years of fulltime studies.

 

They consider fulltime 30 semester hours/year (ie 5 courses each semester).

 

Not sure about UWO.

 

Try scouring the websites and reading the FAQS. Also email admissions, they will have the definitive answers.

[dazzle]

About UofT, will the admissions office consider only the GPA of courses that have been done within full-course-load years (ie. 5 courses per semester)?

 

Reason I ask is that I did my first degree mostly part-time, and my second is full-course-load. But I only want the GPA from my second degree to count!

[Legion]

About UofT, will the admissions office consider only the GPA of courses that have been done within full-course-load years (ie. 5 courses per semester)?

 

Reason I ask is that I did my first degree mostly part-time, and my second is full-course-load. But I only want the GPA from my second degree to count!

 

They count everything, regardless of course load.