Attending Irish medical school and applying to Canadian schools in first year?

[MDancer 11]

Hello everyone,

I have an upcoming interview with an Irish medical school, I know it is early as I haven't received official acceptance, but I am re-writing the MCAT to hopefully boost my score to reapply to Canadian schools this coming cycle, if I receive an acceptance to Ireland, and I attend, am I still allowed to apply to Canadian schools this fall? 

I am okay with re-starting medical school from the first year, but I just can't seem to find the answers as to whether I am eligible to apply to Canadian medical schools while attending another school abroad. The reason why I would prefer to stay in Canada is because I'm really interested in plastics and reconstructive surgery  and hope to practice in Canada as it's my home, obviously residency for plastics is very competitive and it seems that most IMGs coming back from Ireland match with residencies in general surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, emergency, and in the more competitive range psychiatry, but I haven't heard of success stories with plastics.

I also don't know if I can do a plastics residency abroad and later practice in Canada? If anyone has insight on this I would really appreciate it!

Thank you!

 

[JohnGrisham 1,742]

Yes you can re-apply to Canada, and re-start over if you get accepted.      For plastics you can look directly on CarMS website if there are even any spots for IMGs, i think there is maybe 1? Look at the source, all the information you need is there. 

And second question, don't count on it at all transferring over. Chances are you are unlikely to match plastics abroad anyways.   

[MDancer 11]

@JohnGrisham

Thank you so much for your response! When I re-apply to Canada this fall (Oct) if I was enrolled abroad also this fall (Sep), I assume I will have to list that I am already attending a medical school abroad? Is this looked down upon/will I need to explain why I want to attend school in Canada? I guess I feel like if it will hurt my chances of applying to Canada again while enrolled abroad, then I will choose not to go abroad.

[JohnGrisham 1,742]

1 hour ago, MDancer said:

@JohnGrisham

Thank you so much for your response! When I re-apply to Canada this fall (Oct) if I was enrolled abroad also this fall (Sep), I assume I will have to list that I am already attending a medical school abroad? Is this looked down upon/will I need to explain why I want to attend school in Canada? I guess I feel like if it will hurt my chances of applying to Canada again while enrolled abroad, then I will choose not to go abroad.

As far as I know, no, you will not need to list it - as you would only have to tell them if you are already enrolled in a Canadian MD program. Zero frowned, cause they don't look at anything during the cycle in most cases anyways, and i think most people would realize that you obviously would rather be in a Canadian MD than abroad. 

So you are interviewing right now, for a seat in Sept 2020? If it was me, i would defer your acceptance and not pay the likely large deposit to the australian school. With COVID, and Visa's and potential travel restrictons, it is not a good time IMO to be going abroad and doing medical school online.   The fact that they are interviewing for September, shows that they are desperate to fill high-paying international seats, because they are likely getting alot of people backing out due to uncertainties of this year.

Many Canadian schools are all online for the fall.

[MDancer 11]

@JohnGrisham

Oh I see that is really helpful thank you!!

And yes I'm interviewing for Sep 2020, I thought about deferring my acceptance for sure, I just didn't know if I was allowed to apply to other schools cause i think most deferrals are conditional upon the fact that you won't apply to other schools (not sure if it's restricted to only other irish schools) - do you know anything about this? I haven't asked the school about it - this is for University of Limerick FYI. You're definitely right about the COVID situation I will think more about it. 

[JohnGrisham 1,742]

If you've already thought about deferring, I would simply just ask to only be considered for the following cycle. It seems like you have too many balls moving, many questions, and jumping ship to Limerick in september with a large expense doesn't sound like the best plan.

[bearded frog 573]

Yes you will have to disclose that you are attending an Irish medical school, and probably have to include your transcripts on your application. It is unlikely this will be held against you though. I have heard of people being accepted while attending Caribbean/international medical schools. Even as a CMG only the best of the best are accepted to plastics residency, usually with multiple publications etc. There is one IMG spot for plastics although I do not know if it usually goes to someone with strong connections to that program, or someone who is already practising internationally, etc. Basically extremely small chances to match plastics in Canada or US as an IMG. If you are accepted to a Canadian school and gunning plastics then consider writing the USMLEs and applying for residency in the US as well, which is also very competitive but at least will make more opportunities available. In that same vein, consider applying to USMD as well before going internationally.