In Need of Some Major Advice

[TMerrisno 0]

Hello,

Like many on this forum, Medicine has been a dream for me for a while now, although not a passion until very recently.

I went to the U of A in 2008 straight out of high school and graduated from engineering in 2015, with a Dean's vacation in 2012/2013. Here are my stats:

Fall 2008: GPA of 1.9 on 20.1 units of coursework
Winter 2009: GPA of 2.0 on 19.6 units of coursework
Spring 2009: GPA of 1.7 on 4.3 units of coursework

Fall 2009: GPA of 2.9 on 20.1 units of coursework
Winter 2010: GPA of 2.6 on 21.9 units of coursework
Spring 2010: GPA of 4.0 on 3 units of coursework
Summer 2010: GPA of 3.2 on 6 units of coursework

Fall 2010: GPA of 2.0 on 25.6 units of coursework
Winter 2011: GPA of 2.3 on 9.8 units of coursework

Fall 2011: GPA of 2.6 on 19.3 units of coursework
Winter 2012: GPA of 0.6 on 19.8 units of coursework (forgot to withdraw from classes and missed final exam due to family emergency) - result was Dean's Vacation for 1 year (withdraw from studies) and probation for the following year.

Fall 2013: GPA of 2.4 on 14.1 units of coursework
Winter 2014: GPA of 2.7 on 22.2 units of coursework

Fall 2014: GPA of 3.0 on 14.1 units of coursework.
Winter 2015: GPA of 2.5 on 14.9 units of coursework. Graduate from U of A from Engineering (Bachelor's Degree).

Took a few years off to work, both in engineering and in sales.

Came back this year to do a Bachelor of Design After-Degree as a second degree in hopes of raising my GPA to apply and be accepted to a Canadian med school (if that possibility still exists).

Fall 2018: GPA of 3.5 on 12 units of coursework.
Winter 2019: GPA of 3.6 on 18 units of coursework.

What should be my next steps? I will most likely quit my part-time jobs currently held in this upcoming year as these were the biggest reasons to why my 2018/2019 GPA were as low as they were. I was definitely too immature to have gone to university when I did, and am looking to rectify all that I can to get into a Canadian medical school. Thank you.

[Bambi 1,607]

Kill a second undergrad degree with a full course load.

[anonymouspls 259]

You need to put together 2 year of solid GPA (at least 3.7+, preferably even higher than that) to have a serious chance. As it stands, the biggest roadblock for you is GPA. I suspect some schools that look at all of your grades, like McMaster, are basically a no go for you, but some schools like Western / Queens look at 2 years, and some schools only consider your second degree. Find out what the rules are for each school and get your GPA up. 

[TMerrisno 0]

Would either of you recommend doing summer classes? I can only take a maximum of 4 this summer. Will that benefit me at all?

[MedLife2018 5]

Take a look at each schools policy. As far as I know, U of A and U of C don't count your summer courses in your GPA. This can be an advantage if you want to get some harder courses out of the way. 

[z12345 20]

Can be done but not an easy task from your position. Aim for a 3.9+ in a second undergrad with a full course load and a good MCAT score. If you can achieve this you will have a fighting chance at some schools.

If you can grind it out and manage to get in, be prepared for the grind to continue for many more years. Be sure it is what you truly want.

All the best

[TMerrisno 0]

That’s also true, but I think both those schools are out of my reach until they decide they’ll take the last 60 credits/2 years. 

Should I then be focusing on the MCAT this summer?

[Meridian 237]

Summer courses will not really benefit you.   You need 2 full-course-load years (Sept-April) and target +3.9 GPA.  That could open up Queens and UWO.  I would focus on GPA before anything else.   You could start bench-marking where you are on MCAT with some practice tests, but without the GPA, the MCAT is mute.   

[TMerrisno 0]

Thanks! I’ll keep grinding away. I think the program I’m currently in is one of those “we reserve the right to issue A/A+ so the most you can get is an A-“ in which case I will need to potentially switch to another program.