Canadian Accepted to US Med. School-Ask Me Anything

[hopefulMD12]

Hey all. First of all, I want to say that I am doing this only because I think it may help some of you. It is my very small way of giving back to future applicants because I myself have received advice from others. Being an international applicant to US med schools can be extremely tough, and having no guidance makes it tougher. Keep in mind that I know nothing about being a medical student, but I sure do know quite a bit about the application cycle and being pre-med.

 

A little about me. I completed my HS in Ontario and completed the IB program. I came to the US for my undergrad at a top 20 school (not one of the Ivies). I applied to 28 schools, got 20 interviews, attended 14 of them, accepted at 7, waitlisted at 3, rejected at 3, waiting to hear back from 1. The only canadian school I interviewed at was UofT. I am choosing between Cornell, Yale, Northwestern and some other schools as of now. I applied with a 4.0 GPA/ 37 MCAT (12 PS /11 VR /14 BS), good ECs, very strong letters, average research experience.

 

With that being said, feel free to ask me anything about college, being pre-med, courses, interviewing, expenses, being international etc. etc. Hope this helps!

[babums]

Hey, thanks for deciding to share your experiences with us.

 

1. Why did you decide to study medicine in the states, and not back in Canada? Do you plan on practicing there in the future?

 

2. As a Canadian, has the high tuition of med schools in the US (vs. in Canada) ever make you hesitate/second-guess attending medical school there? How do you justify graduating with so much more $ in debt than if you were to graduate from Canada?

 

3. Considering you've applied to so many US schools, I thought I'd just ask a quick question about admission/interview stats before I begin my own research. Hopefully you'll have some insight having done the research yourself. Long story short - 3.7cGPA, 14PS/10VR/10BS MCAT, and decent research + LORs.. rewrite MCAT or not in your opinion, for chances at US med?

 

Thanks in advance!

[xClashx]

Finally, someone on the same boat as me!

 

How the hell did you not get an interview from other Canadian medschools =/.

 

Also, for AMCAS, when you have to enter in your degree majors and minors, they don't have specialist section. I am doing a specialist in biology and minor in chemistry, so how would I enter my specialist.

 

How were your ECs =/.

 

I plan on applying to about 30 schools, do you know how long it would take to write the secondaries? Also, if you don't mind, what was the total application cost? Where are you planning to get a loan from?

 

Sorry for asking a lot of questions

[hopefulMD12]

Hey, thanks for deciding to share your experiences with us.

 

1. Why did you decide to study medicine in the states, and not back in Canada? Do you plan on practicing there in the future?

 

2. As a Canadian, has the high tuition of med schools in the US (vs. in Canada) ever make you hesitate/second-guess attending medical school there? How do you justify graduating with so much more $ in debt than if you were to graduate from Canada?

 

3. Considering you've applied to so many US schools, I thought I'd just ask a quick question about admission/interview stats before I begin my own research. Hopefully you'll have some insight having done the research yourself. Long story short - 3.7cGPA, 14PS/10VR/10BS MCAT, and decent research + LORs.. rewrite MCAT or not in your opinion, for chances at US med?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

1. What attracts me to study medicine in the US is what attracted me to study here for undergrad. I have had the opportunity to attend a medium-sized private university, and I love the small-class sizes, the amazing professors and how flexible everyone is. Maybe I've gotten extremely lucky and maybe my Canadian friends at undergrad at UofT, UBC are overplaying their horror stories, but there is something to be said for the extra attention you receive in a more cozy environment. It is the type of environment in which I thrive. I am not too sure about medical education in Canada, but the teaching in the private US medical schools seems very personal. There are many mentors (faculty mentor, peer mentor, administrative mentor etc. etc.), and I enjoy these connections.

 

If I do end up completing my medical education in the US, I will most likely practice here in one of the bigger cities (NYC, Boston, Chicago etc.). Also, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't consider physician's pay as a factor. Certainly not the major factor, but a factor nonetheless.

 

2. I'm in an incredibly fortunate position where my parents are able to pay for my medical education. If I was under different circumstances, I would certainly consider less expensive alternatives more closely. Let me just say this though: taking our the extra loans to study in the US may not always be a bad idea because the difference in earning potential should make up for that quite easily in the long run. But don't quote me on important financial matters.

 

3. Your overall GPA is solid. US schools consider science and non-science GPA, so make sure you calculate both. You have a good MCAT score (with BS the only weakness). Check out the Canadian row in the link below:

 

https://www.aamc.org/download/321502/data/2012factstable21.pdf

 

It gives the GPA/MCAT of Canadian students who are actually matriculating into US schools (aka students who have been successful). Your stats are in ballpark. In terms of retaking, I would retake if you think you can significantly improve your score by 2+ points (with a stronger showing on BS). Good luck.

 

 

How the hell did you not get an interview from other Canadian medschools =/.

 

I did, actually. I decided not to attend.

 

Also, for AMCAS, when you have to enter in your degree majors and minors, they don't have specialist section. I am doing a specialist in biology and minor in chemistry, so how would I enter my specialist.

 

Sorry, but I cannot be of much help here. I would call AMCAS and ask one of the representatives.

 

How were your ECs =/.

I would classify my ECs as pretty good. Whatever I did, I tried to stay in for a long time. Time commitment is key.

Just to list some main ones:

1) one summer and one full year of research; currently doing my honors thesis

2) 400+hours shadowing with neurologist, cardiologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists (from what I've heard, this is difficult to do in Canada)

3) International Service Trips on two occasions

4) I have been a TA for 6-7 courses at my school

5) One of the main editors of my school newspaper

6) One of the main editors of my school research journal

7) Volunteer in underserved community, working with children

 

Not exactly ECs, but I also had some awards. One $30,000 scholarship, one $5,000 research award, Phi Beta Kappa-Junior etc. etc.

 

I plan on applying to about 30 schools, do you know how long it would take to write the secondaries? Also, if you don't mind, what was the total application cost? Where are you planning to get a loan from?

 

The secondaries can get time-consuming, but it is incredibly important to stay on top of them. I applied on the very first day possible. I started getting secondaries a few weeks after. I made sure I returned the secondaries within 4-5 days max, usually less. Keep track of when you get the secondaries and return them back quickly. A lot of the questions from one school to the next will be similar, so you don't have to write a new essay for each school.

 

Also, the secondaries from previous years are available online. The questions usually do not change. Pre-write some secondaries if you have time so you are not flooded at once.

 

Things definitely get expensive. Look here for some guidelines:

 

https://www.aamc.org/services/first/first_factsheets/94390/cost-applying-med-school.html

 

You have the cost of primary applications. Secondaries usually cost between 60-100 dollars per school. Then there is traveling expenses, hotel expenses etc. (try to stay with student hosts; you will save money this way and get valuable insight from students). By the end, it will certainly cost many thousands of dollars.

[NLengr]

Let me just say this though: taking our the extra loans to study in the US may not always be a bad idea because the difference in earning potential should make up for that quite easily in the long run. But don't quote me on important financial matters.

 

My only comment is that studying in the US vs. Canada does not change your earning potential. You can still work in the US if you attended a canadian school. You are not counted as an IMG.

 

If you aren't a US citizen, USMLE's may be required for immigration purposes but it's very very common Canadian students to write these during training. Canadians who attended a US school but do not have US citizenship still face the same immigration issues that Canadian citizens who attended a canadian school do.

 

I know many people who went to Canadian meds school and residency, then had no problem landing attractive US staff positions.

 

So going to a US school for "earning potential" is a ad idea, since the difference of earning potential is essentially zero.

[A-Stark]

1. What attracts me to study medicine in the US is what attracted me to study here for undergrad. I have had the opportunity to attend a medium-sized private university, and I love the small-class sizes, the amazing professors and how flexible everyone is. Maybe I've gotten extremely lucky and maybe my Canadian friends at undergrad at UofT, UBC are overplaying their horror stories, but there is something to be said for the extra attention you receive in a more cozy environment. It is the type of environment in which I thrive. I am not too sure about medical education in Canada, but the teaching in the private US medical schools seems very personal. There are many mentors (faculty mentor, peer mentor, administrative mentor etc. etc.), and I enjoy these connections

 

There are other universities in Canada aside from UofT and UBC. Did you never look into places like Acadia, St FX, or Mount Allison? Probably would have saved some money.

 

As for Canadian medical education, you would not lack for mentors and getting to know staff. I gained a few close mentors and even personal friends. Don't spend twice as much money for an experience that's marginally different.

 

2. I'm in an incredibly fortunate position where my parents are able to pay for my medical education. If I was under different circumstances, I would certainly consider less expensive alternatives more closely. Let me just say this though: taking our the extra loans to study in the US may not always be a bad idea because the difference in earning potential should make up for that quite easily in the long run. But don't quote me on important financial matters.

 

The difference in earning potential is fairly insignificant, and the US has nothing like CMPA. There is no better legal representative in the US than an organization with a few billion in assets like CMPA.

[kazin]

So if I have 5 digit student loan debt from my undy and don't have rich parents or grandparents, is the States even an option? I doubt I can even afford "thousands of dollars" for applications/flights/accommodations...let alone $300,000 USD for tuition and other related costs.

[advair250]

No, LOC will not be enough to cover COA. Best you can do is improve your application and become more competitive in Canada where COA is significantly cheaper and will be fully covered by LOC.

[abelign]

Hey,

 

Thanks for offering to help us Canadian applicants I really appreciate it. Since you're an expert with the process, I was wondering if you could give me some advice. I applied to low tier U.S. schools for the 2013-14 application cycle very late. By the time my application was processed it was November 25th. In the end, I was only able to get one interview and that was at Wayne State, and I'm pretty sure it was because they're not as cut-throat with rolling admissions.

 

My stats are as follows:

 

- cGPA = 3.95; sGPA = 3.85

- MCAT --> 1st score: 31 (11PS/8VR/12BS/WS=T) and 2nd score: 31 (11PS/9VR/11BS)

- ECs are pretty good

 

I've been waitlisted at Wayne State so I'm not too sure if I'll be a med student or not by September. Either way, I'm taking the safe route by considering the next application cycle.

 

My MAIN dilemma is whether I should rewrite my MCAT or not. I have one scheduled for June 21, and I'm confident I'll be able to increase my score because of various personal factors (greater motivation, less distractions, lessons learned from previous MCATs). As you can tell, my VR score is what's holding me back. HOWEVER, if I rewrite my MCAT that means I'll only get my score near the end of July and that means my primary application won't be fully processed until a few weeks after that I'm assuming.

 

So my question is, what do you think would benefit me the most? Applying as early as possible WITHOUT rewriting the MCAT, or rewriting the MCAT which puts my application later in the cycle. Keep in mind that I don't plan on applying to top tier schools or anything.

 

Thank you, any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

[advair250]

Hey,

 

Thanks for offering to help us Canadian applicants I really appreciate it. Since you're an expert with the process, I was wondering if you could give me some advice. I applied to low tier U.S. schools for the 2013-14 application cycle very late. By the time my application was processed it was November 25th. In the end, I was only able to get one interview and that was at Wayne State, and I'm pretty sure it was because they're not as cut-throat with rolling admissions.

 

My stats are as follows:

 

- cGPA = 3.95; sGPA = 3.85

- MCAT --> 1st score: 31 (11PS/8VR/12BS/WS=T) and 2nd score: 31 (11PS/9VR/11BS)

- ECs are pretty good

 

I've been waitlisted at Wayne State so I'm not too sure if I'll be a med student or not by September. Either way, I'm taking the safe route by considering the next application cycle.

 

My MAIN dilemma is whether I should rewrite my MCAT or not. I have one scheduled for June 21, and I'm confident I'll be able to increase my score because of various personal factors (greater motivation, less distractions, lessons learned from previous MCATs). As you can tell, my VR score is what's holding me back. HOWEVER, if I rewrite my MCAT that means I'll only get my score near the end of July and that means my primary application won't be fully processed until a few weeks after that I'm assuming.

 

So my question is, what do you think would benefit me the most? Applying as early as possible WITHOUT rewriting the MCAT, or rewriting the MCAT which puts my application later in the cycle. Keep in mind that I don't plan on applying to top tier schools or anything.

 

Thank you, any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

You applied way too late. Surprised you even got an interview at Wayne at that point.

 

Your GPA is perfect and more than offsets your 31 MCAT, which itself is fine.

 

You've already taken the MCAT twice and peaked at 31, take it as it is.

 

If you apply properly and early with your current stats, you should NOT retake the MCAT. It will look bad that you are retaking it for a 3rd time when you already achieved the same, respectable score, twice.

 

Apply to all the USMD schools you would attend, early, and you should be in much better shape!

 

The fact that you did get 1 interview, means your application is very solid, even for a super late applicant. Rest easy.

[mononoke]

I actually have a similar question as yours- I got accepted to Dartmouth in the states but I interviewed at ~7 schools in Canada. If I got accepted to Queens or UofT, I think I would stay because it's close to home...but what are your thoughts on comparing McMaster and Dartmouth?

[iceroll]

Actually about the residencies, I heard on SDN that it's challenging for Canadians or other non-US citizens to get residencies in the US. Specifically this post:

 

Residencies are under no obligation to sponsor student visas. Some will sponsor J1's, others H2B. Most sponsor neither. Even excellent medical school performance may be insufficient to get any residency in the surgical fields. It is so sad to see students go unmatched or get only a surg prelim after doing well in school. It is twice as sad when they Couple's match and two people are adversely affected. In the current seller's market, I can only imagine that this may become even more challenging.

 

I have only had one student become eligible for a green card during medical school. Just about all of them tried. At least Canadians have a shot at CARMS.

 

Do you have any perspective on that, about how difficult it is to actually work in the US even after going to a US med school?

[iceroll]

Thanks, I am about to apply to some US schools next month and reading about that really gave me a shock! My goal is ultimately to end up practicing in the US. I haven't really looked into the visa stuff yet since that's so far away for me, do most schools just arrange that for you?

[hopefulMD12]

Apologies for my late reply. I am finishing up last few weeks of undergrad and things are pretty busy. Thanks to others for stepping in and offering advice.

 

Hey,

 

Thanks for offering to help us Canadian applicants I really appreciate it. Since you're an expert with the process, I was wondering if you could give me some advice. I applied to low tier U.S. schools for the 2013-14 application cycle very late. By the time my application was processed it was November 25th. In the end, I was only able to get one interview and that was at Wayne State, and I'm pretty sure it was because they're not as cut-throat with rolling admissions.

 

My stats are as follows:

 

- cGPA = 3.95; sGPA = 3.85

- MCAT --> 1st score: 31 (11PS/8VR/12BS/WS=T) and 2nd score: 31 (11PS/9VR/11BS)

- ECs are pretty good

 

I've been waitlisted at Wayne State so I'm not too sure if I'll be a med student or not by September. Either way, I'm taking the safe route by considering the next application cycle.

 

My MAIN dilemma is whether I should rewrite my MCAT or not. I have one scheduled for June 21, and I'm confident I'll be able to increase my score because of various personal factors (greater motivation, less distractions, lessons learned from previous MCATs). As you can tell, my VR score is what's holding me back. HOWEVER, if I rewrite my MCAT that means I'll only get my score near the end of July and that means my primary application won't be fully processed until a few weeks after that I'm assuming.

 

So my question is, what do you think would benefit me the most? Applying as early as possible WITHOUT rewriting the MCAT, or rewriting the MCAT which puts my application later in the cycle. Keep in mind that I don't plan on applying to top tier schools or anything.

 

Thank you, any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

I would slightly disagree with what another poster said about your situation. There is, unfortunately, no GPA offsetting MCAT (or vice versa) for international students. As I have mentioned in other places, the average MCAT is ~33.5 (probably 34 now) and the average GPA is ~3.75 (probably closer to 3.8 now) for international students who matriculate at US medical schools. Your GPA is going to serve you well, but MCAT is definitely on the lower end, especially since it is somewhat uneven with a low verbal score. I've known many Americans who have good applications but have a sub 9 verbal score and do not do too well during the cycle. Obviously other factors could be in play, but something to think about.

 

IF you are confident you can pull up that verbal score and your overall score, I would retake one more time. Make sure you are fully prepared for your next try because it should be your final try. Also, you should be able to submit your primary application without your MCAT and then just send in your MCAT later. So not having the MCAT will not delay the processing of your application unless you specifically wish to wait to find out your scores before applying. My best advice if apply broadly across numerous tiers and apply as early as possible. Good luck.

 

I actually have a similar question as yours- I got accepted to Dartmouth in the states but I interviewed at ~7 schools in Canada. If I got accepted to Queens or UofT, I think I would stay because it's close to home...but what are your thoughts on comparing McMaster and Dartmouth?

 

I'm not too familiar with McMaster or Queens, but I did interview at UofT this admissions cycle and enjoyed the experience. I don't know much about Dartmouth either except for what I've heard from other folks. I heard their clinical training is not great. UofT's medical resources will almost certainly far surpass that of Dartmouth's (which is much more rural and small). As someone who prefers an urban environment with a diverse patient population, I would consider some other options. But this just depends on what you are looking for.

[hopefulMD12]

Actually about the residencies, I heard on SDN that it's challenging for Canadians or other non-US citizens to get residencies in the US. Specifically this post:

 

 

 

Do you have any perspective on that, about how difficult it is to actually work in the US even after going to a US med school?

 

I will mirror bearded frog's sentiment. I have talked to one Canadian friend who just went through the match process and he told me that if you are strong enough to get into a US md school (especially a top one), you should be fine with residency. One thing that I did not know is that most places apparently do accept international students (US MD grads and International medical school grads) for residency. For example, UCLA which basically does not take non-US med students (they say they do, but last year no one got in from hundreds of applications), does take international students for residency (even into its competitive programs).

[cahreesti]

Apologies for my late reply. I am finishing up last few weeks of undergrad and things are pretty busy. Thanks to others for stepping in and offering advice.

 

 

 

I would slightly disagree with what another poster said about your situation. There is, unfortunately, no GPA offsetting MCAT (or vice versa) for international students. As I have mentioned in other places, the average MCAT is ~33.5 (probably 34 now) and the average GPA is ~3.75 (probably closer to 3.8 now) for international students who matriculate at US medical schools. Your GPA is going to serve you well, but MCAT is definitely on the lower end, especially since it is somewhat uneven with a low verbal score. I've known many Americans who have good applications but have a sub 9 verbal score and do not do too well during the cycle. Obviously other factors could be in play, but something to think about.

 

 

 

Just wondering, if you had stats around what you were mentioning 3.8 or 3.75 and a 34 MCAT would that be good enough for getting you into just a low/mid tier school or would that be competitive for one of the top/well known ones?

 

I was looking at the US schools and because they have so many more than we do there are many 'small' schools I've never actually heard it. Is it worth it to go to US even for the acceptance at such a school because 'MD' is an MD? Or is it not really due to hardships with finding residency. Thanks!

[hopefulMD12]

Just wondering, if you had stats around what you were mentioning 3.8 or 3.75 and a 34 MCAT would that be good enough for getting you into just a low/mid tier school or would that be competitive for one of the top/well known ones?

 

I was looking at the US schools and because they have so many more than we do there are many 'small' schools I've never actually heard it. Is it worth it to go to US even for the acceptance at such a school because 'MD' is an MD? Or is it not really due to hardships with finding residency. Thanks!

 

This is difficult to answer because medical school admissions tends to be fairly holistic. Compared to law school admissions in the US (which is based almost entirely on stats), this is definitely true. With a 3.8 and a balanced 34, you definitely could have a shot at a top 20 med school, but it will be difficult as an international student. From what I have heard from international medical students and adcoms, international students are expected to have GPAs and MCATs higher than that school's average MCAT/GPA. For example, at one of the Ivy league schools into which I will likely matriculate, the average GPA/ MCAT for accepted students is 3.8 and 35. I will be matriculating with a 4.0 and 37. Another international student I know who will be going there had 3.95 and 39. I know these are daunting numbers, but unfortunately top schools expect that from international students.

 

Lastly, is it worth it to go to a mid or low tier US MD school? Absolutely. Medicine, at least in the US, is not like law or business. School name does not mean much for residency. There is a study titled "Selection Criteria for Residency: Results of a National Program Directors Survey" that asked residency directors to rank the importance of various factors. School reputation was 9th out of 14. I suspect the reason why students from top schools do well is because those schools have more highly motivated students.

[chromealt]

Hi HopefulMD12,

 

Thanks for doing this AMA. I posted this question in a thread last week but got no answers so maybe you'd be able to provide some advice.

 

Non-trad applicant here, graduated in engineering from the University of Waterloo.

 

GPA: Not 100% sure what my AMCAS GPA is, but based on this thread http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31303 I calculated it to be 3.72

 

sGPA is over 3.9

 

MCAT: 12PS 8VR 11BS (31 Total)

 

ECs: I think they're fairly decent. Quite a bit of work experience, engineering, management consulting, programming among others. Some volunteering at hospital and a long term care centre, pro bono services from work. Very established musician in 5 instruments. Research experience and 2nd author in publication that should be published soon. Quite a bit of tutoring (calculus). Awards from several engineering competitions. Various individual and team sports. Currently no shadowing experience (finding it hard to shadow here in Canada). Working on my own startup company right now.

 

Do I have a shot at low-tier USMD schools?

[advair250]

Hi HopefulMD12,

 

Thanks for doing this AMA. I posted this question in a thread last week but got no answers so maybe you'd be able to provide some advice.

 

Non-trad applicant here, graduated in engineering from the University of Waterloo.

 

GPA: Not 100% sure what my AMCAS GPA is, but based on this thread http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31303 I calculated it to be 3.72

 

sGPA is over 3.9

 

MCAT: 12PS 8VR 11BS (31 Total)

 

ECs: I think they're fairly decent. Quite a bit of work experience, engineering, management consulting, programming among others. Some volunteering at hospital and a long term care centre, pro bono services from work. Very established musician in 5 instruments. Research experience and 2nd author in publication that should be published soon. Quite a bit of tutoring (calculus). Awards from several engineering competitions. Various individual and team sports. Currently no shadowing experience (finding it hard to shadow here in Canada). Working on my own startup company right now.

 

Do I have a shot at low-tier USMD schools?

 

I'm still going to disagree with OP, I had similar stats as you and interviewed at a few places and will be matriculating this summer at a USMD school.

 

You don't need 3.9/37 to secure an acceptance. A 3.7 is fine with upward trend, even a 3.6 is swingable with a higher mcat ( another Canadian in my incoming class had this, but a 36 mcat).

 

As for low verbal, 8 is low yes, but it can't hurt to apply. If you are ESL, you can mention that. Most us schools I applied to favoured strong science scores. I didn't have an 8 though, so it you can bump it, while keeping sciences high that is favourable.

 

Strong ECs always help and a good PS to stand out makes a bigger difference than you think.

[advair250]

This is difficult to answer because medical school admissions tends to be fairly holistic. Compared to law school admissions in the US (which is based almost entirely on stats), this is definitely true. With a 3.8 and a balanced 34, you definitely could have a shot at a top 20 med school, but it will be difficult as an international student. From what I have heard from international medical students and adcoms, international students are expected to have GPAs and MCATs higher than that school's average MCAT/GPA. For example, at one of the Ivy league schools into which I will likely matriculate, the average GPA/ MCAT for accepted students is 3.8 and 35. I will be matriculating with a 4.0 and 37. Another international student I know who will be going there had 3.95 and 39. I know these are daunting numbers, but unfortunately top schools expect that from international students.

 

Lastly, is it worth it to go to a mid or low tier US MD school? Absolutely. Medicine, at least in the US, is not like law or business. School name does not mean much for residency. There is a study titled "Selection Criteria for Residency: Results of a National Program Directors Survey" that asked residency directors to rank the importance of various factors. School reputation was 9th out of 14. I suspect the reason why students from top schools do well is because those schools have more highly motivated students.

 

I was interviewed and waitlisted at an ivy with stats lower than that average for accepted students. Ivies get 1000s of apps from 4.0/35+, they want people with respectable stats (3.8+ is all the same) but with strong leadership skills and experience. Congrats on the acceptance!

 

Generally internationals should have higher stats, but its not going to cut you off if you ECS are good. It's self selection in a way too, since Canadians with lower stats wouldn't apply to ivies or if they don't have strong ECs.

[iceroll]

Compared to what? Generally, if you can get accepted into a Canadian school as a Canadian citizen, there are very limited situations where going to an American school would be better, such as if you did your undergrad the the US and wanted to eventually work in the US. But Canadian med graduates can also take the USMLE and try to match to US residencies anyway.

 

So if you have a doctor no matter what mentality, for a career in medicine in canada, I would rank the order as follows:

 

Canadian medical school > American MD school > UK CSA (Atlantic bridge) = Australian CSA > St. George CSA > Other Caribbean CSAs = other international CSA.

 

American DO schools are in there somewhere around uk, australia, and st george, but I'm not familiar about the residency options and coming to canada with that. For working in the states it would be after American MD but before other international schools.

 

EDIT: If your questions is, is it worth it to go to an American school vs trying repeatedly for Canada? That's up to you if you're application could be realistically improved to be strongly competitive. Unless you're sure that you can get into your top choice Canadian school, the majority of people I know applied to both the US and Canada the first time, and would have gone to the US if not accepted to Canada.

 

If you actually want to live and work in the US though, isn't it better to go to med school in the US?

[mamba24]

 

So if you have a doctor no matter what mentality, for a career in medicine in canada, I would rank the order as follows:

 

Canadian medical school ≥ American MD school >>>>>>>>>>> UK CSA (Atlantic bridge) = Australian CSA > St. George CSA > Other Caribbean CSAs = other international CSA.

 

 

If you want to return to Canada from a US medical school, you will return to Canada from a US medical school. From talking to Canadian USMD grads though, their mentality changed after 4 years from "just visiting" to wanting to stay in the States. Great thing about the USMD is that both options are wide open doors for you.

[advair250]

Same as above

[PLASTICSX]

But you can also apply for US residencies from Canadian medical schools... So either way, your options are wide open.

[advair250]

Canadians have it comparatively easy, Step 1 is a monster.