Kiss the 'Cat

[Guest Chillibow]

70% undergraduate GPA (BA)

90% average in post-grad IT program (private college)

Several years employed as a full time professional

Several years of extensive volunteer/EC experience, including hospital work.

Two sweet references (one of which is academic)

MCAT Score: 30

 

What are my chances for 2005? Will that 70% undergrad average shove it's spikey heel in my face, or can the 'CAT convince the ad com that I'm not a complete moron?

 

All I need is an interview to show these Ad Com folks that I am med school material.

 

I would love to hear everyone's opinion. I won't apply if I'm wasting my time.

[Guest MDSMelissa]

Not that my input will be valuable, as I don't have much experience either, but it may be useful for those who can answer your questions to know whether you are applying as an in-province or an out-of-province applicant.

[Guest Chillibow]

Good point, thanks for bringing it up....I'm a NL resident.

[Guest Douje Dog]

Chillibow,

Take this how you like, as I can't guarantee that I'm completely right. The fact that you are a NL resident will certainly play in your favor. I know several applicants who have received interviews with a 75% average. A 30 in the MCAT is a good score, and if you say you have stand out extra-curriculars and references, I would say you have a very good chance at getting an interview at MUN. Plus the 90% in those two years will certainly look good. I'd recommend you definitely going for it!! Anyways, as I said, I can't guarantee anything, but that's my opinion!! D.

[Guest Chillibow]

Once an applicant has successfuly made it to the interview stage, is the playing field then even for all applicants?

[Guest sneakydog]

unfortunately no. the interview is another part of the total package. the ADCOM still ranks you based on all your parts added together. academics, mcat, interview, EC, refs and anything else that may seem relevant at the time. all these parts have different weight in the final decision.

[Guest Chillibow]

I have been working full time in as an IT professional for past five years since graduating university. There seems to be little if any information available as to how the AD Com will interpret such work.

 

Will my professional career up to this point carry any significant weight in my application?

 

I am most appreciative of everyone's feedback thus far!

[Guest nextstopmd]

I can't really speak specifically for Memorial, but I think one of the things that any adcom is looking for in its applicants is maturity. Working for five years as a professional will certainly look good in that department, but I would also be prepared to answer the question of why you're now interested in medicine or why you didn't apply before.

 

It certainly looks like the non-academic part of your application would be great, but I just don't know if Memorial sets some sort of minimum GPA or not. Maybe it would be worth contacting them to find out. I'm from Ontario and most of the schools here all use GPA/MCAT as an absolute cutoff. You don't get the marks, you don't get an interview. Simple as that. The cutoffs here were really high. For example: Queens was 3.62 GPA and 32 on the MCAT. Possibly MUN looks over the application as a whole before deciding on interview invitations.

 

Overall, the odds of getting in if you are from Newfoundland tend to be pretty decent. Why not give it a shot? The application doesn't take all that long to fill out and worse comes to worse you are out the 75 bucks. If I were in your position I'd certainly apply if that's what I really wanted to do.

[Guest nextstopmd]

I can't really speak specifically for Memorial, but I think one of the things that any adcom is looking for in its applicants is maturity. Working for five years as a professional will certainly look good in that department, but I would also be prepared to answer the question of why you're now interested in medicine or why you didn't apply before.

 

It certainly looks like the non-academic part of your application would be great, but I just don't know if Memorial sets some sort of minimum GPA or not. Maybe it would be worth contacting them to find out. I'm from Ontario and most of the schools here all use GPA/MCAT as an absolute cutoff. You don't get the marks, you don't get an interview. Simple as that. The cutoffs here were really high. For example: Queens was 3.62 GPA and 32 on the MCAT. Possibly MUN looks over the application as a whole before deciding on interview invitations.

 

Overall, the odds of getting in if you are from Newfoundland tend to be pretty decent. Why not give it a shot? The application doesn't take all that long to fill out and worse comes to worse you are out the 75 bucks. If I were in your position I'd certainly apply if that's what I really wanted to do.