wantobeadoc Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Hello everyone, I need some advice. Im currently finishing off my OMSAS application, and just realized that US applications are overdue, so i started my AMCAS app yesterday and will submit by the end of the month. I was wondering if i can get advice on which US schools to apply to. My cGPA is 3.67, and my gGPA is 3.89 MCAT 30p EC include hospital and local library volunteer work for over a year and several school clubs for several years. Also, im thinking of applying outside US or Canada (caribeans, britain, australia) not quite sure if its worth it. My ultimate goal is to become a surgeon (general at least, and maybe specialize later) and practice in Canada or US, don't really care where, either of these two countries will do. Please advice on whether to apply for US and which schools. what are my chances now for sept 2009? thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a41 Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 Try Wayne and SLU, though you might still have some trouble with those stats. Other points: You might not want to be a surgeon come residency application time. Also, American schools start in July/August Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 thanks for the quick reply. Can u elaborate a little on why i might not want to become a surgeon when applying for residency? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted September 23, 2008 Report Share Posted September 23, 2008 by going to a US school - there will be visa issues come residency time. this has been discussed/described in great detail on this forum already. i suggest doing a search or browse through old threads. look up J1 visa or H1B visa. this may keep you out of a surgical specialty. also, by going to a US school, your chances of matching to a surgical residency program in canada will be reduced as preference is usually given to a canadian graduate for a competitive specialty. it's definitely not impossible, but more difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 hey Madz, if i was able to attain the H1b visa, will it be easier to match for a surgical residency program in the US than in Canada? If so, is it common for canadians to go thru the caribeans and do surgical residency in the US. I wouldn't mind practicing in the US if getting the visa and surgical residency is not too difficult. thanks for the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a41 Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 I just meant you might not necessarily want to do surgery. You probably won't be excluded from any specialties by studying in the US, provided you are competitive. I know of a Canadian US grad who started an opthalmology residency this year. I have no idea visa they have arranged, but I intend to find out. Will report back later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastriss Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 I just meant you might not necessarily want to do surgery. You probably won't be excluded from any specialties by studying in the US, provided you are competitive. I know of a Canadian US grad who started an opthalmology residency this year. I have no idea visa they have arranged, but I intend to find out. Will report back later. was this at Wayne, a41? Madz is right. I think general surgery is getting pretty competitive in Canada. I don't think you need to worry about H1B, coming back to canada, and all that stuff just yet. I think you should focus on how to improve your application and actually get into a med school first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 regarding cost of primary application, since Im applying late, i will apply to ALOT of schools, like 30-40, how much will that cost me just for the primary application? Im thinking of applying to pretty much all of the schools in the sticky thread that accepts canadians except top tiered ones like Harvard, yale.. Also, are secondary application fees significant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 oh, and are there any US schools that have a 3yr program rather than 4yrs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n00b Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Applying to 40 schools will cost you around $5000. I don't know of any US schools with 3yr programs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 oh f**K, im screwed. Is there any way i can start my MD at a caibean school and transfer to a US school in 2nd yr? i really dont want to go that far south unless i have no other option, and i cant afford to wait till 2010 http://www.premed101.com/forums/images/icons/icon9.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n00b Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Transfers are pretty rare at most schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 so if i get in at st. george next fall, i couldn't transfer to US school by 2nd yr? do u know if anybody has done it before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retsage Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 No. You will not be able to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastriss Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 Yeah, you won't be able to transfer. and a41, i still am waiting to see if it's a wayne grad or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennethToronto Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 so if i get in at st. george next fall, i couldn't transfer to US school by 2nd yr? do u know if anybody has done it before? be careful and think carefully before setting off to SGU and the like. It's not worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 ok so now im getting really anxious! since i can only afford to apply to twenty US schools or so, which ones should i add to my list, i have so far: wayne, rosalin syracuse SLU dartmouth suny case western georgetown mt. sinai northwestern thomas jefferson MCW NYMC Howard any suggestions regarding the list, any additional schools i should consider/reconsider. thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastriss Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 ok so now im getting really anxious! since i can only afford to apply to twenty US schools or so, which ones should i add to my list, i have so far: wayne, rosalin syracuse SLU dartmouth suny case western georgetown mt. sinai northwestern thomas jefferson MCW NYMC Howard any suggestions regarding the list, any additional schools i should consider/reconsider. thx You may want to substitute schools with lower stats for the following schools: case western dartmouth mt. Sinai northwestern Howard is a tough nut to crack unless you are african american. I would add Michigan State University Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 You may want to substitute schools with lower stats for the following schools:case western dartmouth mt. Sinai northwestern Howard is a tough nut to crack unless you are african american. I would add Michigan State University any suggestions for other lower stat schools that accept canadians besides MSU-CHM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THX Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 You may want to substitute schools with lower stats for the following schools:case western dartmouth mt. Sinai northwestern Howard is a tough nut to crack unless you are african american. I would add Michigan State University Agreed. Dartmouth is doable though, but they are looking for something slightly different. Consider VCU and EVMS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 THX what do u mean by Dartmouth looking for something a little diff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THX Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 THX what do u mean by Dartmouth looking for something a little diff? Well, a lot of schools simply interview students with good grades/MCAT and decent extracurriculars and then accept those with the right personality post-interview. On the other hand, Dartmouth has a very small class size and can be a bit pickier about who they interview/accept. I don't know exactly what they are looking for, but a lot of their students seem to have very interesting backgrounds. They might have spent a year abroad in an AIDS clinic or are a lawyer applying to med, etc. This also means that they tend to accept people with lower grades/mcat than their Ivey status would imply they should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantobeadoc Posted September 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 oh i c! well if i get my secondaries from them then i will try to be creative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a41 Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 was this at Wayne, a41? They are doing the Optho residency at Wayne/DMC I think (might be Henry Ford). MD from SUNY Upstate I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted September 24, 2008 Report Share Posted September 24, 2008 hey Madz, if i was able to attain the H1b visa, will it be easier to match for a surgical residency program in the US than in Canada? If so, is it common for canadians to go thru the caribeans and do surgical residency in the US. I wouldn't mind practicing in the US if getting the visa and surgical residency is not too difficult. thanks for the help The H1B visa wont do anything for you in terms of matching to canada for a surgical residency. It'll make you a more favourable candidate for matching to the US for surgical residency. Is getting the H1B visa difficult.....hmmm I've read a lot of controversy on the topic. As far as I know, you need USMLE step3 to be eligible for H1B ..but usually you dont do step3 until you're already IN your 2nd year of residency..see the problem?? you need the visa to get into residency but you wont be eligible until you do a test that you're supposed to do when you're already in residency. People have posted on this board (from information off SDN) that apparently the needing step 3 for H1B is not true...I don't know. I'm not in the US so I havent looked into it. I don't know how easy it would be to match to residency in surgery if you've done your MD at a carib school. I've heard of students from caribs matching to competitive specialties such as radiology so it's not impossible. I agree with the others. Take it one step at a time. For now, worry about getting in somewhere and see where that takes you. In the end, you can always do whatever you want - it may just take a little longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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