Engineer looking for Medical School Advice

[Sami Barbouti]

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to ask for advice on potentially applying to Medical School as an engineer.

I graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Chemical Engineering degree in 2018, am 24 years old, and have been working in Calgary, in a Business Analyst role (not engineering related at all) at an Oil & Gas company. Now that I’ve racked up some cash, I wanted to look into the feasibility of myself as a Medical School applicant. I consider myself a fast learner. I’ve done internships in Aerospace, Polymers, & other research, and now work in a setting completely different than what I studied and am doing quite well.

However, my cumulative average was 79.6% over my 5 years at UW. This is my first reservation in applying to med school. In all honesty, engineering was not that hard, but I did not put in enough effort, and thus, my GPA reflects this. My roommate is a successful anesthesiologist and actually does resident interviews at his hospital. He told me my GPA might not be as bad as I think. But he also did med school like 40 years ago lol.

My second reservation is the extra-cirriculars. Currently, I am an EIT (engineer in training) registered with APEGA (association of professional engineers and geoscientists alberta). Not sure if this even matters. I have a role in an alumni chapter of my fraternity here in Calgary. I do some private tutoring on the side (less than 10 hours a week) in physics, chemistry, calculus, and english. Other than that, I do not really have any extra curricular activities. Maybe my first three research internships (foam lab, plastics lab, and membrane research lab) might be more applicable, but those were 2014 to 2016. My last two internships were at Bombardier in a business/engineering capacity.

Anyway, in short, how do my options look?

Thanks for the advice,

Sam

[Raptors905]

I wouldn’t worry about your EC. 
 

what is your gpa? That might be a bit too low to most Canadian schools but with weighting etc what does it come out 

[Meridian]

Your overall cGPA is not competitive for most schools.   Break your GPA down by each academic year.  In your case 1A+1B  , 2A+2B. etc.  If you have a couple of good years, you may be able to use weighted wGPA.  Look up Queens, Western, U of T as examples for how weighting is done.

Your ECs are not going to be pre-med-like, but that is OK.   Alot of it is how you write them up and identify against CanMeds  (Google it).

If your wGPA is OK for some schools, start thinking about writing MCAT

[StStPVM]

On 1/15/2020 at 10:51 AM, Sami Barbouti said:

Currently, I am an EIT (engineer in training) registered with APEGA (association of professional engineers and geoscientists. Not sure if this even matters. I have a

1. Get your P.Eng, 99% of applicants don't have it, practicing engineering is similar to practicing law and med - quit calling yourself an engineer before that

2. Do a grad degree, it will lower the cut off, broaden your options

3. Study for MCAT

4. Stay in Alberta longer to be considered IP

5. 79 is around a 3.2 ? 

[wjl123]

On 2/19/2020 at 11:05 AM, StStPVM said:

1. Get your P.Eng, 99% of applicants don't have it, practicing engineering is similar to practicing law and med - quit calling yourself an engineer before that

2. Do a grad degree, it will lower the cut off, broaden your options

3. Study for MCAT

4. Stay in Alberta longer to be considered IP

5. 79 is around a 3.2 ? 

I'm pretty sure if you graduate from an engineering program, you can call yourself an "engineer". You just can't call yourself a professional engineer.

[ArdentMed]

Unfortunately, most schools do not place much weight on the fact that you did engineering, which may be more challenging than other bachelor degrees.

Is that your GPA after dropping your worst year / 30 credits? Perhaps dropping those credits would bump it up a bit. 

Good luck. 

[ChemPetE]

Engineering is tough. Grades are on the low/borderling part and probably the most limiting factor. I would echo above what the others said. But with oil crashed (again) it’s not a bad idea to take a look at other options for sure. FWIW I also did chemical engineering and it was great as a “pre-medical” degree. Probably 6 people in my class were engineers prior incl myself, with 2 of us having done chem.

[StStPVM]

On 3/11/2020 at 4:10 PM, wjl123 said:

I'm pretty sure if you graduate from an engineering program, you can call yourself an "engineer". You just can't call yourself a professional engineer.

You are under the wrong impression

According to Professional Engineer Ontario, one of the provincial engineering regulatory body:

 

 

"No. Legally speaking, you are an engineering graduate, not an engineer. Only holders of a P.Eng. license are legally permitted to use the title “P.Eng.” or the term “engineer” in their job title, or to use any other term, title or description that may lead to the belief that they are authorized to practice professional engineering. An engineering education is the first step to earning your license and eventually having the right to call yourself an engineer, but you may only use the term “engineer” in your job title once you have P.Eng. licence."

 

[ChemPetE]

To clarify though, as the OP is registered in Alberta with APEGA, is allowed to state they are an engineer as it is in the term 'engineer in training' as they have phrased it.

[StStPVM]

1 hour ago, ChemPetE said:

To clarify though, as the OP is registered in Alberta with APEGA, is allowed to state they are an engineer as it is in the term 'engineer in training' as they have phrased it.

That is correct for AB. 

But it doesn't deviate from my original point that getting a P.Eng is a plus for the application but not a must. It is not that hard with just 3 more years of experience, assuming OP has 1 from his undergrad. 

I got my P.Eng now declared non-practicing, not sure how much it helped.