FAQ: What are my chances?

[Clever]

Hi guys,

 

I have just finished my 3rd year and wanted to know if I have a chance at a Ontario Medical School. I'm from Ontario.

 

My first 2 years were Horrible, with a B- to C+ GPA.

This last year i really worked hard and had a 3.8 GPA for the entire year. I also wrote the MCAT last summer and got a 36S.

I also have actual research experience in a lab since the summer of 1st year

 

What medical schools do i have a chance in.

 

Thanks

 

You'd have a good chance at uman if you meet the min gpa requirements because their mcat counts for 70%. If you do really well in your 4th year then you can apply to schools that take your best 2 years (as long as you meet min cGPA requirements).

[PhoenixFlare500]

You'd have a good chance at uman if you meet the min gpa requirements because their mcat counts for 70%. If you do really well in your 4th year then you can apply to schools that take your best 2 years (as long as you meet min cGPA requirements).

Just to clarify, that's pre-interview, at Manitoba the breakdown's 15% AGPA, 40% MCAT and 45% MMI. I'm sure most people would assume that but there could be the odd person that thinks MCAT = everything in Manitoba.

[Chojo]

Hey guys! Just wanna be realistic here...

 

I'm going into my 3rd year of undergrad with a 3.74 (I go to the University of Calgary). As I'm only a 3rd year, I realize this is a bit of a problem, because I understand this is considered a low GPA for a 3rd year applicant.

 

What's the outlook for me for medical schools in Canada in terms of even getting an interview? I think that University of Calgary is more lenient when it comes to GPA, but I'm not sure about the other schools. I was told that no 3rd year students from my school with GPAs of under 3.88 were invited for interview at the University of Alberta.

 

Do you guys know of many or any friends who were invited for an interviews with GPAs of less than 3.8, who were also beginning their THIRD YEAR? I know that GPA isn't everything, but I'm starting to get a sense that the reality is that it counts for much more than I had thought in most schools, particularly pre-interview.

[Sniper_187]

What are your ECs and MCAT score? I was in the exact same situation as you with a 3.73 cGPA and 33S MCAT and got an interview at U of C (just barely) before being rejected (no waitlist). I found out I had very poorly written ECs description and worked on them for this past cycle and was accepted. Apply to both Alberta schools to get your EC and reference letter scores for upcoming cycles. You probably won't get an u of a interview but you may snag an u of c interview. That experience will payoff big time next cycle or you may even get accepted. You never know until you apply.

[Chojo]

What are your ECs and MCAT score? I was in the exact same situation as you with a 3.73 cGPA and 33S MCAT and got an interview at U of C (just barely) before being rejected (no waitlist). I found out I had very poorly written ECs description and worked on them for this past cycle and was accepted. Apply to both Alberta schools to get your EC and reference letter scores for upcoming cycles. You probably won't get an u of a interview but you may snag an u of c interview. That experience will payoff big time next cycle or you may even get accepted. You never know until you apply.

 

Hey Sniper, thanks for the reply!

 

That's really encouraging to hear you got an interview 3rd year with similar marks! I still have yet to write the MCAT, I hope I can show it who's boss.

 

For ECs, I have 4 summers worth of lab research (with the latter two being funded by studentships, including an international studentship), volunteered at a hospital, starting to volunteer at a hospice, volunteering at a homeless shelter, volunteering in creating the annual "movie" for my faculty, designed and ran a teamwork/leadership workshop for a large church group, 12 years of saturday chinese language school, vice president of a university cultural club, and i play piano at grade 10 level. with piano, i've won a number of local competitions. I'm also a singer/songwriter/composer, have 11,000+ subscribers on Youtube with about a million views for my videos (videos of me performing + self-directed music videos), and have made some TV appearances for music.

 

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of things did you improve upon in how you wrote about your ECs the second time around after you got the feedback?

 

Once again, I really appreciate your reply!

[Sniper_187]

I used stronger, more descriptive words ("organized and implemented athletic programs for children ages 5-12" vs."helped run a sports program for kids"). I also I worked on my application very early before the deadline this time around to allow myself to edit it later to catch my spelling and grammar mistakes (I did my application in 3rd year over a week and didn't realize I wrote one EC description as a giant run-on sentence lol). Get people who are not necessarily science students to read your descriptions and see if they get the message you are trying to convey.

 

Side-note: your ECs sound a lot better than mine did during 3rd year. Good luck

[vdincale]

Im going into 3rd year and I was wondering what my chances are. GPA 4.0 (I swear I'm not a troll). My EC are, 150+ hours volunteering at local hospital (not very meaningful work IMO) about 40 hours with Canadian blood services talking to donors after they donate blood (I'm the cookie guy lol). I won an NSERC USRA grant this summer and I also have worked a part time job for the last 4 years. I feel like my EC are below average after reading some of the posts on this board. I plan to write the MCAT this summer and apply to all possible schools in Ontario. Any suggestions on making myself a more compeditive candidate?

[thehumanmacbook]

1) GPA - use to apply to Ottawa and NOSM, or OOP

2) Need to pass cutoff for MCAT minimum, GPA will carry you well

3) Word ECs well...a bit on the short side but I believe GPA can carry you as well

4) Have research, good

 

Should get a couple of interviews, pending good MCAT

[charty]

Hi there guys, forums aren't typically my thing, but I've gotten a fair bit of insight from this one. Everyone here seem super competitive, so I'm just gonna throw out my application thus far to see if you think i'm competitive. I'm from IP for NL, so I'll be applying to MUN, and I'll also apply to U of T and Mcmaster. I've done Nursing as an undergrad, so I don't meet prereqs for a lot of universities, reasons for picking the universities I did. I've just finished third year, 3.9 GPA. I've not finished MCAT yet, writing end of summer, so thats up in the air.

EC's/Awards: President of Premed society(1 year, treasurer for 1 year previous), on nursing society for a semester as undergrad representative, medical first responder with saint john ambulance (2 years), volunteer co-ordinator(exec) with social justice group on campus(1 year, general member for 1 year previous), volunteer with special olympics bowling(1 year), hospital volunteer (pediatrics floor/emergency department for 2.5 years), Leadership position with orientation for new students to university, bronze governor general recipient(i know its old, end of high school), dean's list for 1st and 2nd year (list isn't out yet for third yet), Clinical excellence award in 1st year, scholarship for nursing studies in 2nd year, second degree member of Knight of columbus, member of Candian evaluation society(CES), CES case competition national finalist, research position with nursing professor throughout 3rd year, nothing published or anything.

 

Oh, and also, I work at a nursing home as a Nurse Collegian 1, which is kinda like a nursing aid, PCA, i dunno what else to call it.

 

So yeah, what are my chances?

[schmitty]

Hi there guys, forums aren't typically my thing, but I've gotten a fair bit of insight from this one. Everyone here seem super competitive, so I'm just gonna throw out my application thus far to see if you think i'm competitive. I'm from IP for NL, so I'll be applying to MUN, and I'll also apply to U of T and Mcmaster. I've done Nursing as an undergrad, so I don't meet prereqs for a lot of universities, reasons for picking the universities I did. I've just finished third year, 3.9 GPA. I've not finished MCAT yet, writing end of summer, so thats up in the air.

EC's/Awards: President of Premed society(1 year, treasurer for 1 year previous), on nursing society for a semester as undergrad representative, medical first responder with saint john ambulance (2 years), volunteer co-ordinator(exec) with social justice group on campus(1 year, general member for 1 year previous), volunteer with special olympics bowling(1 year), hospital volunteer (pediatrics floor/emergency department for 2.5 years), Leadership position with orientation for new students to university, bronze governor general recipient(i know its old, end of high school), dean's list for 1st and 2nd year (list isn't out yet for third yet), Clinical excellence award in 1st year, scholarship for nursing studies in 2nd year, second degree member of Knight of columbus, member of Candian evaluation society(CES), CES case competition national finalist, research position with nursing professor throughout 3rd year, nothing published or anything.

 

Oh, and also, I work at a nursing home as a Nurse Collegian 1, which is kinda like a nursing aid, PCA, i dunno what else to call it.

 

So yeah, what are my chances?

 

Your ECs make me shameful of my own... :-(

[aquatics]

Seeing how everyone on this forum is achieving way beyond me makes me ponder if I even stand a chance. I would like to know how I would fair and if I should apply during the coming cycle. I am an ontario resident and therefore is mainly interested in ontario med schools.

 

Just finished 3rd year in biochemistry and will be writing the MCAT this summer.

 

Yr 1 GPA 3.78

Yr 2 GPA 3.77

Yr 3 GPA 3.82

cGPA 3.79

full course loads and meets the rumored 60% rule.

 

for UofT, wGPA~3.87

 

Experiences

2 summers working as business office clerks

1 yr volunteer/paid tutoring

1 yr hospital urgent care centre (still continuing)

~1 yr hospital cancer centre/ICU volunteer (different hospital, still continuing)

1 summer nursing home volunteer

hospital volunteer mentor (still continuing)

1 relay for life volunteer

~1 yr medical genetic assistant (some clinical duties/some small research works & still continuing)

Other small academic awards

Violin & piano player

some travellings

 

I will also be doing an honours thesis next year which I am unsure if it can be included.

 

I recognized that my qualifications might be on the lower edge, any inputs and comments are appreciated, thanks.

[HBP]

If you drop your 3 lowest credits (6 halfs), what's your GPA?

 

Your honours thesis can be included as research.

 

If you meet MCAT cutoffs for UWO, guaranteed interview. Your EC's look good for Queen's. CASPer is what you need to worry about for Mac. You can't apply to Ottawa unless you're from there. UofT - depends on your wGPA, but if you have decent refs + statement, you should get an interview.

 

You should be alright.

[Diceroll2011]

Thoughts on me as an applicant and ways to strengthen my application?

 

Just finished my undergrad at Guelph

 

Ontario resident with no special weighting formulas looking at all Ontario schools except NOSM, plus Calgary and Dal.

 

OMSAS GPA: 3.83 UofT GPA: 3.93

1st year - 3.66

2nd year - 3.9

3rdyear - 3.81

4th year - 3.97

 

MCAT – 34R 11/11/12/R

 

Research – undergrad thesis with one publication

 

ECs – Vice president and member of a health focussed club for 3 years, other exec positions, organized two conferences focussed on health, 2 years hospital volunteering, 1 year as a volunteer facilitator for a tutoring group with a marginalized population, 2 years volunteering with homeless individuals, 2 years volunteering with disadvantaged kids, one year volunteering in a nursing home, one year as an undergrad mentor, 3 international volunteer trips + leadership, some sports, work with kids with cancer + random work and a few other things.

[thehumanmacbook]

^Solid - you should get a few interviews

[aquatics]

If you drop your 3 lowest credits (6 halfs), what's your GPA?

......

 

thanks for the quick response, appreciated.

[Zaramari A]

Nice graph, very detailed though hard on my eyes and monitor.

[FinalShowtime]

I am a resident of Quebec and will try to apply only to Quebec Universities and I would like to know where I have the most chances, here are my info:

 

DEC: International Baccalaureate in Health Science

 

University:

 

Major: Software Engineering

Year 1: GPA: 3.31 (terrible Year...)

Year 2: GPA: 3.81

Year 3: (In process)

Year 4: -

 

cGPA: 3.61 (Dean Listed in the Engineering faculty and also received a prize for community involvement)

 

A lot of ECs in the medical field, academia field (I can honestly say at least 500+ hours of volunteer work and in different countries).

 

Working Experience:

 

At 16: Manager Zellers Local Store (Yup at 16...)

At 18-20: 2 years as an intern porter at the Montreal General's Hospital

At 20: 4 months contract as a Web Architect at Pratt & Whitney Canada

At 21: 4 months contract as a Software Architect at Ericsson Canada

 

I am determined that I want to become a doctor and that I would like to be a psychiatrist.

[MD2015]

You seem not to be competitive at McGill. The other med schools don't care about ECs and it all depends upon a) your relative academic performance in relation to your peers and the degree of difficulty the med schools attribute to engineering in comparison to other programs. There willl be published information out there somewhere as to difficulty of engineering on a comparative basis.

[FinalShowtime]

You seem not to be competitive at McGill. The other med schools don't care about ECs and it all depends upon a) your relative academic performance in relation to your peers and the degree of difficulty the med schools attribute to engineering in comparison to other programs. There willl be published information out there somewhere as to difficulty of engineering on a comparative basis.

 

I can't apply to McGill anyway unless I complete my bac. What cGPA should I get to be ''competitive''?

[MD2015]

You are not out of the ballpark presently as an IP, although a 3.80 wsould be ideal. With what you have, you need a fabulous abstract and autobio and excellent references. Do the best you can and no regrets. The actual application itself is terribly important.

[FinalShowtime]

You are not out of the ballpark presently as an IP, although a 3.80 wsould be ideal. With what you have, you need a fabulous abstract and autobio and excellent references. Do the best you can and no regrets. The actual application itself is terribly important.

 

I will do my best . Do you recommend books such as Doing Right in order to have different views upon ethical/morale topics?

[Mithril]

Doing Right is an excellent book and probably saved my hide on ethical questions.

[FinalShowtime]

Doing Right is an excellent book and probably saved my hide on ethical questions.

 

I just placed an order on Amazon. It comes with 2 other books about interview practice and moral issues.

[hking03]

I'd say only get the book if you are unsure or unaware of ethical decision making.

 

In the MMI the best way to answer a question is to not actually answer the question.

 

Explore the options, think out loud... be critical. Show that you understand both sides of the situation and can put some effort into the process of making a decision. Summarize by saying- if these other options wouldn't work I would consider looking into blah blah blah.

 

It's not some crazy choice where you decide who lives or dies... you just have to use your brain and show that you aren't a dolt.

 

I did all of these crazy MMI questions last year that talked about donating your body to science, being stranded on an island with a gun and one bullet, kill one person or the other... the MMI that I did was nowhere close to that.

[EoE]

I'd say only get the book if you are unsure or unaware of ethical decision making.

 

In the MMI the best way to answer a question is to not actually answer the question.

 

Explore the options, think out loud... be critical. Show that you understand both sides of the situation and can put some effort into the process of making a decision. Summarize by saying- if these other options wouldn't work I would consider looking into blah blah blah.

 

It's not some crazy choice where you decide who lives or dies... you just have to use your brain and show that you aren't a dolt.

 

I did all of these crazy MMI questions last year that talked about donating your body to science, being stranded on an island with a gun and one bullet, kill one person or the other... the MMI that I did was nowhere close to that.

 

Ya ya ya. I have talk to people who say Doing Right changed their life and got them through MMIs and into meds. I have also heard the opposite.

 

For me it was not super helpful for my MMIs other than maybe the first chapter. It was a super-cool read though! I read it multiple times. I think that I would recommend it for someone considering meds, but not as prep for interviews unless you are a very system/algorithm-type person who can latch onto the structure of ethics the book provides.

 

As far as doing crazy practice MMI questions and them being nothing like the actual real thing, you are so right. I enjoyed those practice session soooo much though! It was so cool to discuss "Do the ends justify the means?" or "Is shooting someone who is going to fall off a cliff and die anyways the right thing to do?" Good times.