GPA Worry Med School Hopeful

[medhopeful12342]

Hi

Im a 4th year undergrad at York University and am wondering what are my options going forward to be a competitive applicant for med school. I would appreciate any advice. 

My GPA cumulative is 3.35 for  with a somewhat upward trend. I was in a premed major then switched to psych in 3rd/4th year.

My  1st year gpa is 3.15 for 6 courses (managed to petition off 4 courses that were brining down my gpa) 

My 2nd year is 2.84 for 7 courses (organic chem did really bad brought it down a lot otherwise be 3.2)

My 3rd year is 3.633 for 9 courses

and my 4th year is 3.75 for 8 courses

my ECs are volunteering at a hospital, volunteer assistant in research, helping out in food banks/serving meals to needy, shadowing dentist, optometrist to get exposure to different fields, had a job for about 8 months banking to help out with uni, volunteer tutor at a community center and volunteered in school clubs

My gpa is my biggest concern right now and I am planning on a 5th year to finish up my courses for my major and brining it up. How realistic are my chances at an acceptance for med in canada? Also im planning on a 3 year degree instead of the 4 year honours so does this impact my chances in any way?

One point that I thought I should mention is that the strikes at york really did mess me up in 1st year and how realistic is it that med schools take that into consideration? They also striked in my 4th year but by then I knew how to deal with it and it wasnt as bad as the 1st strike.

Thanks for your help!

P.S. I have not written the mcat yet might take a gap year for it

[bigboydyo]

Unfortunately CanMed schools have a pretty high floor GPA to even have a chance at an interview (considering competition), and I'm not sure if yours will suffice. I think most people would recommend a 2nd undergrad if you are deadest on getting into medicine in Canada; however, only embark on this if you are confident that you can do maintain a 3.80+ gpa for at least 2 years with full course loads. 

Alternatively, you could try for schools internationally, like down south in the Caribbean Isles. I know that this isn't the ideal option, but a few people that I know that sat just outside Canadian standards of GPA took this option and are now earning a good living in the US. 

Also just wanted to add this incase my answers worry you: there are probably other students that have found a way to get into CanMeds alternatively, from your same situation. Ex: via a Masters/PhD. Hopefully someone with more knowledge on this will chime in  

 

[Rekabnire]

It also depends on whether the schools you apply for look at your actual GPA or an overall "academic score". 

I had a similar GPA finishing undergrad, but I had a high MCAT score and got an IP interview. I didn't get in that year, so I did a Masters degree and managed a 4.0 in that. Once my masters was done, the combination of my new GPA and MCAT (which is how some schools do it) was enough to be competitive because my high MCAT score brought my "academic" score up.

The first year I applied (with the low pre-Masters GPA), I actually went into the admissions office and asked what I would have to score on the MCAT to balance my GPA and they gave me a number. 

[PFT22135]

Definitely look at schools that consider the last 2 years of GPA or maybe drop your lowest year (I know dalhousie considers last two). With a 5th year if you kill it you will be in a much better position. 

Where will you be considered IP for, Ontario? That also makes a difference. 

I would very strongly suggest against considering Caribbean or anything IMG (but especially Caribbean). IMG from these schools are often frowned upon and stigmatized against. They also operate on a massive for-profit model and weed out most of their students in the first 2 years, such that many come home with astounding debt. 

I am sure you can fix your application to a point you can get into a Canadian school. 

[Meridian]

Direct to the point.  Your first 3 year grades are of no help.  MAC, UofT, and Ottawa are off the table currently.  If you can do a +3.95 in a 5th year with full workload , you could be eligible for 2 year schools like Queens and Western.    Western requires you to be in the final year of a 4-year degree so I would not reduce to a 3 year degree. 

You will need to write the MCAT for both UWO and Queens and score very high for UWO. 

If you cannot achieve a high 5th year, you are looking at starting a second degree. 

If you are in-province outside Ontario check specifically the IP requirements of your home province. 

[iFlayx]

3 hours ago, Meridian said:

Direct to the point.  Your first 3 year grades are of no help.  MAC, UofT, and Ottawa are off the table currently.  If you can do a +3.95 in a 5th year with full workload , you could be eligible for 2 year schools like Queens and Western.    Western requires you to be in the final year of a 4-year degree so I would not reduce to a 3 year degree. 

You will need to write the MCAT for both UWO and Queens and score very high for UWO. 

If you cannot achieve a high 5th year, you are looking at starting a second degree. 

If you are in-province outside Ontario check specifically the IP requirements of your home province. 

I don't believe OP would qualify for Western as they require a full course load for their two best years (10 courses). OP will only have a shot at Queen's after another year of 3.9 at least to give them a last two year GPA above 3.8.

To be brutally honest with you, your shot at Canadian medical schools are very very slim. GPA is the single most important factor in admissions and you are no where near competitive for any Canadian school at the moment. Your GPA would qualify for Queen's with another year but Queens is 100% a black box school (check the sub forum) and their post interview odds is also the worst out of all Ontario schools. 

In regards to the strike, I doubt the schools will accept that as an excuse. If you are dead set on med, you will definitely want to do another undergrad or at least 2 additional years to have better odds and in those two years you should aim very high (at least 3.9). In the meantime I would do the MCAT over the summer. Drop your extracurriculars down so you can focus on school and MCAT first. I cannot stress it enough that extracurriculars are only looked at after your GPA+MCAT.