Med Schools Outside of Canada GPA Calculations

[BipolarBearr 0]

Hey everyone,

I'm really stressed so I apologize if this sounds very scatter brained. But I'm finishing up my 5th year at Western in Health Sciences and my GPA is just okay, around 3.6-3.7. MCAT is poor, 501 (125/124/126/126). I'm likely going to retake the MCAT this summer though as well as take Organic Chemistry since I currently do not have this prereq for Ottawa and pretty much every med school everywhere else.

1) Is my GPA scored differently to US MD and DO schools compared to Canadian MD schools? (Just wondering if UWO gets weighed differently or anything)
2) Are there any Canadian-friendly US MD and DO schools that do not consider sGPA? I have a total of 4 actual science courses and one of the marks was awful so my sGPA is abysmal.
3) Are there any international options for medical school that consider wGPA and are more lenient on course prequisites? (It's not feasible for me to do a 6th year or second undergrad to get math courses and english)
4) Is a research based masters beneficial to US MD and DO schools or any international schools? I know in Canada it really only makes a difference with U of T and as such, I haven't really considered it but now I'm wondering if that's a good idea

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

[JohnGrisham 1,742]

Your GPA is not the issue,  its the MCAT. Youll need a MCAT retake as youve noted, and do 510+ and then youll be in much better shape for USDO. USMD is a stretch unless you really improve your MCAT  OR have really strong non-academics.

You dont need to consider international schools yet, you have a fixable barrier - the MCAT standing in your way, your GPA is otherwise fine.

[BipolarBearr 0]

@JohnGrisham thank you for your reply but would you happen to know of Canadian friendly schools that dont consider sGPA? I see sGPA being thrown around lots on any discussion of american schools and it's important to know where that is a barrier to me because at this point, it isnt really fixable. My wGPA or cGPA is just okay, but I agree, the MCAT needs to be improved. Im currently worried about the sGPA and if a masters would be beneficial in the US or internationally? I'm thinking of doing that next year since Im kind of lost and think it could boost my profile a bit.

[ballsortahard 35]

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't american schools generally have a number of pre requisite courses (which I imagine you don't have if you've only taken 4 science courses)?

[Big Shaq 0]

UWO grades are converted: 70s --> 3.0 and 80+ --> 4.0 when you apply to USMD

[pinkneuron 26]

44 minutes ago, Big Shaq said:

UWO grades are converted: 70s --> 3.0 and 80+ --> 4.0 when you apply to USMD

Do you know if there's some kind of conversion chart or anything for USMD? I can't seem to find any info on how my grades would be converted to USMD system.

[JohnGrisham 1,742]

50 minutes ago, pinkneuron said:

Do you know if there's some kind of conversion chart or anything for USMD? I can't seem to find any info on how my grades would be converted to USMD system.

Its on AMCAS

[pinkneuron 26]

33 minutes ago, JohnGrisham said:

Its on AMCAS

Thanks, I found it

[BipolarBearr 0]

3 hours ago, ballsortahard said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't american schools generally have a number of pre requisite courses (which I imagine you don't have if you've only taken 4 science courses)?

From what I've seen, yes they require Biochem, Orgo, Physics and some need English. I think some of the writing intensive courses I've taken satisfy the english criteria. Physics might be satisfied depending on the school (I emailed a couple Carib schools that said a course I took that wasnt physics counted as a physics course), I took biochem but barely passed since I was not ready for that at the time and had lots going on (and paid the price, welp) and I'm taking orgo this summer. My concern though- do all US MD and DO schools only look at sGPA? It would be nice if there were any canadian friendly schools that only look at wGPA or cGPA

[JohnGrisham 1,742]

Most USMD and USDO schools require a full composite of prereqs, biol1/2, chem1/2, phys 1/2, ochem1/2, biochem1, stats,  and often psych1, sociol 1, calc1/2 sometimes

Yes they mostly all do look at sGPA, but youve taken so few science classes as you stated, you can repair it to a more acceptable range. Just get As from here on out.

[JohnGrisham 1,742]

I would take a year of unclassified studies and take science courses and get As, then repeat the MCAT after you have a better foundation. 

Stop worrying about your sGPA, you literally only have 4 classes. That is nothing. Take more, get As and youre back in the game.

Stop looking at carribean schools, until you prove to yourself you can improve your grades and MCAT, you would be exactly one of those people i would put in the box of "likely failing out" - not planning well and not willing to even try to improve your application.

[BipolarBearr 0]

9 hours ago, JohnGrisham said:

I would take a year of unclassified studies and take science courses and get As, then repeat the MCAT after you have a better foundation. 

Stop worrying about your sGPA, you literally only have 4 classes. That is nothing. Take more, get As and youre back in the game.

Stop looking at carribean schools, until you prove to yourself you can improve your grades and MCAT, you would be exactly one of those people i would put in the box of "likely failing out" - not planning well and not willing to even try to improve your application.

See that isn't possible at this point for me, I can't afford another year of undergrad studies and I have already graduated. I have the bios, chems, biochem, soc, psych and possibly physics depending on the school but im missing orgo and math. Taking orgo before the mcat is feasible but doing a 6th year is not at this point. I may consider doing them while I do a masters though

[JohnGrisham 1,742]

16 minutes ago, BipolarBearr said:

See that isn't possible at this point for me, I can't afford another year of undergrad studies and I have already graduated. I have the bios, chems, biochem, soc, psych and possibly physics depending on the school but im missing orgo and math. Taking orgo before the mcat is feasible but doing a 6th year is not at this point. I may consider doing them while I do a masters though

If you can't afford another year of undergrad, how are you affording med school...and a potential masters? That sounds like an excuse and immaturity to me. 

 

Also how do you have all those prereqs but only took "4 science courses". Or did you mean full year courses? So really you have 8 half year courses?

[dk3what 21]

5 hours ago, BipolarBearr said:

See that isn't possible at this point for me, I can't afford another year of undergrad studies and I have already graduated. I have the bios, chems, biochem, soc, psych and possibly physics depending on the school but im missing orgo and math. Taking orgo before the mcat is feasible but doing a 6th year is not at this point. I may consider doing them while I do a masters though

Not sure relying on an email to a Carib school to determine if you have the physics prerequisite is the best course of action.

[BipolarBearr 0]

1 hour ago, dk3what said:

Not sure relying on an email to a Carib school to determine if you have the physics prerequisite is the best course of action.

I say possibly because this Carib school said an astronomy course I took counted as a physics course apparently, I don't know if this applies to US schools but yes I see what you mean

[JohnGrisham 1,742]

2 hours ago, BipolarBearr said:

I say possibly because this Carib school said an astronomy course I took counted as a physics course apparently, I don't know if this applies to US schools but yes I see what you mean

They dont care if you took an english class to satisfy their pre-reqs. Its the carribean, pulse and $$ gets you through the door. 

100% most definitely not will astronomy count as a physics pre-req in the US.