After undergrad

[Dwarfaid]

Hi everyone,

I'll be finishing my undergrad from the UofA this spring. I've applied to most med schools in Canada for next year, and so far have not gotten interviews at memorial, and UBC. Although the Ontario and Alberta schools are still to come, I'm thinking about the possibility of having to do other things for next year. I have a fairly high undergrad GPA I think (the value given on the UAlberta application is 3.97), and a competitive enough MCAT (515, 129 CARS), so I don't think I'd need to focus particularly on improving that aspect of my application? If I'm not to get in anywhere this cycle, I think it'll be due to my extracurriculars being not the best. 

 

I'd wanted to ask if anybody had any suggestions for things that I could spend next year doing. I'm open to just about anything in terms of more schooling, volunteering, or working. I'm IP right now in Alberta, but would likely be open to moving anywhere in Canada, or around the world for whatever I was to do. 

 

I know a MPH is a thing a few people on the forum have done, and I would consider applying to those programs across Canada. I would ideally prefer to not pursue a masters in a research lab, I spent the last few years of my undergrad working in a lab, and feel it may be time for some kind of change.

My undergrad has been in Environmental biology, with the research and many of my courses specifically focused on environmental microbiology, just as some additional details.

 

If anybody has any suggestions of any opportunities they think I could look into, I'd appreciate it! Thanks

 

 

[clever_smart_boy_like_me]

I think your GPA and MCAT are good, but if you think you might be lacking in the ECs department a good job and some volunteering would be a valuable way of spending the year for both you and your CV. Continue doing your current ECs and add another one or two perhaps? I didn't do any extra degrees myself so I can't speak to their use and most of my class doesn't have a masters or phd so it's not *required*. If you are motivated to do one then have at it, but it seems from your comments that you'd like a break from the research lab stuff. Maybe the MPH would suit your interests.