Applying to easy US or big 5 carribean med schools directly without trying in ON firs

[solace]

Hi everyone, this site is awesome and it is my first time posting ( as i just registered).

 

I know this question is repeated so many times and yes there is a sticky, but please here me out.

 

Should i apply directly to US (easy ones) and carribean medical schools directly, without trying here first in canada (esp in ontario, which is my home province)?

 

The reason for such a question? Well my gpa for years 1-3 at UofT for BSc is 3.18 (year one 3.18,year two 3.48, year three 2.84)and I am taking the mcat this summer and hopefully will get around 33Qish. Now this gpa is well below even the minimum gpa to apply for most schools in ontario (except mac).

 

So should i even bother applying blindly, when i know i dont meet the criteria and spend roughy a $1000.

 

Please help me out, deadline for application are coming.Any other routes you suggest i take, or where i can apply with my stats.

 

My ECs are decent, incl hospital volunteering, alotttt of community service,sports, and one year of research with a neurophychologist (no publication)

 

Thanks

p.s i live in toronto,ON and would like to practice here in ontario

[1234]

I would skip over Canadian medical schools and apply to broadly in the US, Caribbean and elsewhere.

 

It is good to see an applicant that has some level of self-reflection for once.

[leviathan]

What's the hurry? Why don't you try and get your grades up first before applying internationally?

[silvrsleuth]

i agree with leviathan... what exactly is your hurry? i mean, as a non-trad myself, i appreciate not wanting to be in school forever, but even if you got into an american or caribbean school, you're probably going to have to spend time fighting the system to get back to ontario (plus, pay off your boatload of american school debt) so why not invest that money and time NOW, rather than then?

 

being honest, your year three has hurt you quite a bit. can you consider graduating NOW (ie: take a concentration, not an honours degree) and then re-start with a second degree? alternatively, you could do a 5th year, and read the posts about schools that take your best two years, if you really pull up this year?

 

re: Mac, no one call help you there. yes, they have a high average gpa, as do all canadian schools, but they set it at 3.0 for a reason. if you think that reason could be you, go for it (remembering that they're only looking at verbal, so your MCAT score won't help you there). that being said, i have a 3.3 undergrad gpa and i'm not applying yet. the only harm is the lost money: if you've got it, why not? if you don't have it, save up and spend that money on becoming a better candidate.

[AdamP]

I don't think OMSAS will even send your application to schools that you don't meet the minimum requirements. (anyone know if I'm wrong on this??)

 

 

 

For the OP, this is not the case, OMSAS doesn't make any admissions decisions. That being said the schools themselves are pretty good (and quick) at tossing out applications.

[Prothrombin]

Don't apply to the Caribs or US schools right now. Keep working on your GPA and the rest will fall into place. US schools are not easy to get into, despite popular belief. It will be a waste of money that could have been spent elsewhere. I would complete 4th year and try to get a 3.8GPA and maybe try an extra year of undergrad to cancel out the previous bad years. I know it sounds like a lot of school, but that's what Med School is all about. All you need are two good years and you should be alright.

[solace]

What's the hurry? Why don't you try and get your grades up first before applying internationally?

 

I would , the only problem is I am going into my final (4th year) this fall and med school do not consider the marks of the current application year.

 

So if i were to not apply this year and apply the next, I would be out of school for one year.

[DOC_Ma]

I would , the only problem is I am going into my final (4th year) this fall and med school do not consider the marks of the current application year.

 

So if i were to not apply this year and apply the next, I would be out of school for one year.

 

what people r saying is u might wanna do a 5th year so u won't be out of school for 1 year next year, that way assuming u get 2 years of gg marks (3.8+) then u can apply for the schools that require best or most recent 2 year marks

[utmed13]

you can try and do more school and bring up your gpa like others have mentioned or only apply to caribbean schools. US schools require a higher gpa.

Coming back to Canada is a different story, and you probably won't be coming back to canada for another 10 years if you decide to leave for med school.

[touchthesky]

I agree with the above posters. If you can get your GPA higher in 4th year (i.e. a 3.8) and then do a 5th yr with a 3.8 or higher, you can apply to the schools that look at your best two years (or even best year). You'll be saving a lot of money that way, and time later on.

[jnl82]

US SCHOOLS ARE NOT EASY TO GET INTO.

 

carribean schools are ...

[token]

There are NO US schools you'd be competitive for with that GPA. I agree with everyone else, do some extra years then apply to UWO and Queen's.

 

The Carribean is really bad for Canadians. You won't be able to get a residency in Canada, and you'd have a very hard time getting one in the US. An MD without a residency would just be 4 wasted years of your life....If anything you'd want to look into Ireland and Australia so you could at least have a career in one of those countries afterwards.

[Prothrombin]

There are NO US schools you'd be competitive for with that GPA. I agree with everyone else, do some extra years then apply to UWO and Queen's.

 

The Carribean is really bad for Canadians. You won't be able to get a residency in Canada, and you'd have a very hard time getting one in the US. An MD without a residency would just be 4 wasted years of your life....If anything you'd want to look into Ireland and Australia so you could at least have a career in one of those countries afterwards.

 

You CAN get a residency in the US as long as you get a visa, but to get one you need to pass the medical exams (i think both Canadian and US Step 1 and 2). You won't however have a hope in hell of getting a competitive residency i.e derm, path, anaes. You can however find a residency spot in the less competitive area like Fam Med and Psychiatry

[xi88]

You CAN get a residency in the US as long as you get a visa, but to get one you need to pass the medical exams (i think both Canadian and US Step 1 and 2). You won't however have a hope in hell of getting a competitive residency i.e derm, path, anaes. You can however find a residency spot in the less competitive area like Fam Med and Psychiatry

 

"Can". Very difficult, but yes, can.

 

You also can get into some US schools, but it will be very unlikely with your GPA. Best bet is to apply overseas to the UK, Ireland, or Australia.

[leviathan]

"Can". Very difficult, but yes, can.

 

You also can get into some US schools, but it will be very unlikely with your GPA. Best bet is to apply overseas to the UK, Ireland, or Australia.

It's pretty easy to get a residency in the US. Not difficult at all, as long as you do OK (>200) on the Step 1 and have reasonable letters of reference from your preceptors. You could get a specialty too with higher Step 1 scores. This is changing a bit now that the US is opening tons of new medical schools and the free residency spots left over for IMGs is diminishing.

 

You can also get residency in Canada. Now THAT is difficult, but doable again with good board scores (MCCEE + QE) and letters from doctors in Canadian rotations.

[WaveSense]

The caribbean schools are becoming more and more legitimate (at least the most famous ones are ie SGU). It is not that hard to get decent residencies from those schools as long as you 1. Do very well on your exams and 2. Have great recommendation letters from your rotation sites. Here is a good article on this topic that you may find interesting:

http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/07/caribbean-medical-schools-a-good-option/

TBH getting residencies spots seems to be more on what YOU have done. Coming from the caribbean schools may put you a bit behind in terms of competitiveness but it is not the end of the world. Going to ireland and such is another option but the people I know who go that route usaually do so only to avoid the stigma of going to the caribbean.

Also, I have heard that there are going to be changes to the Canadian residency program that wil make it easier for canadians who do med school in foreign countries to match for residencies. I'm not sure of what the actual changes are but I think it applies to the caribbean.

 

GL!

[solace]

Thanks so much to everyone for their replies, every bit helps and gives reassurance that there are options.

 

I was thinking that i should apply to all 6 schools in ont, 4 big schools in carribean, and 4-5 low gpa accepting schools in the US such as meherry medical college, howard uni, morehouse medical etc?

 

DO you think i could get into these low gpa US schools and top 4 carribean schools with my stats?

 

I hope so...

[a41]

4-5 low gpa accepting schools in the US such as meherry medical college, howard uni, morehouse medical etc?

 

Err..do you know why those schools are "low gpa accepting"?

[solace]

those schools have got accreditation by Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and aamc, isnt that all that matters to get licensure in canada (as you are considered just a US grad, which go for matching for placements in the same round as canadians, rather than IMGs). offcourse there are tests for canada which i will have to take, but still i would be in a better position as US grad than IMG.

 

Please do let me know why these schools are any bad, maybe I am unaware of certain info that might pose as a barrier later.

 

Thanks

[Prothrombin]

those schools have got accreditation by Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and aamc, isnt that all that matters to get licensure in canada (as you are considered just a US grad, which go for matching for placements in the same round as canadians, rather than IMGs). offcourse there are tests for canada which i will have to take, but still i would be in a better position as US grad than IMG.

 

Please do let me know why these schools are any bad, maybe I am unaware of certain info that might pose as a barrier later.

 

Thanks

 

As long as the schools are LCME and AAMC accredited you shouldn't have any problems coming back to Canada (minus getting a good score on the MCCEE). Mind you it may be a bit harder to get into a competitive residency program, but you'll get your MD and have no issues coming back to Canada to practice. Will it be in the exact field you want? maybe not. will you still be doing something interesting, definitely.

[solace]

Medical schools do not take into account the marks/gpa of the current application year. So if i would plan to do a fifth year and then hope to get into medical school the following year, i would have to apply after my 4th year (which is next year) and at that point i will not have my 5th year grades looked at, so technically i do not have 2 good years? ANd if i wait untill i finish 5th year to apply, then i would be out of school for one year (assuming i even get into med school then) before i start medical school.

 

Please clarify as to when i would apply, if i want med school to take my 2 good years (4th and a extra year). Thanks

[Rayven]

The caribbean schools are becoming more and more legitimate (at least the most famous ones are ie SGU). It is not that hard to get decent residencies from those schools as long as you 1. Do very well on your exams and 2. Have great recommendation letters from your rotation sites. Here is a good article on this topic that you may find interesting:

http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/07/caribbean-medical-schools-a-good-option/

TBH getting residencies spots seems to be more on what YOU have done. Coming from the caribbean schools may put you a bit behind in terms of competitiveness but it is not the end of the world. Going to ireland and such is another option but the people I know who go that route usaually do so only to avoid the stigma of going to the caribbean.

Also, I have heard that there are going to be changes to the Canadian residency program that wil make it easier for canadians who do med school in foreign countries to match for residencies. I'm not sure of what the actual changes are but I think it applies to the caribbean.

 

GL!

I don't think it's so much of a stigma but rather just logical practicality. The Caribbean med schools take in a lot of applicants each cycle (usually 2 or even 3 intakes per year) and they have arguably the lowest admission cutoffs. The reason that this is is because of the high attrition (people dropping out).

 

But more importantly, if you even manage to graduate from the Caribbean med schools you apply as an IMG (immigrant). If you graduate from Ireland, UK, or Australia then you're still considered an IMG coming back to the US or Canada. Howeverrr if all else fails and you have your visa you can still work in Australia or Ireland or UK. The same can't be said about the Caribbean med graduates.

[rmorelan]

Medical schools do not take into account the marks/gpa of the current application year. So if i would plan to do a fifth year and then hope to get into medical school the following year, i would have to apply after my 4th year (which is next year) and at that point i will not have my 5th year grades looked at, so technically i do not have 2 good years? ANd if i wait untill i finish 5th year to apply, then i would be out of school for one year (assuming i even get into med school then) before i start medical school.

 

Please clarify as to when i would apply, if i want med school to take my 2 good years (4th and a extra year). Thanks

 

If I understand you situation correctly, if you hit the GPA cut off (last year 3.75) and the MCAT cut offs you can apply to Western with under the conditional acceptance system with that year alone. You must then get also over the cutoff in your 5th year (that the "condition") to actually be accepted. Its only one school, but if you can it would still probably make sense to apply

[Microbiodude]

Thanks so much to everyone for their replies, every bit helps and gives reassurance that there are options.

 

I was thinking that i should apply to all 6 schools in ont, 4 big schools in carribean, and 4-5 low gpa accepting schools in the US such as meherry medical college, howard uni, morehouse medical etc?

 

DO you think i could get into these low gpa US schools and top 4 carribean schools with my stats?

 

I hope so...

 

Aren't those schools affirmative action type schools? I might be mixing up things but that was my impression, so you might have trouble getting an interview with them unless you really do well on their secondary application. My friend applied to Maherry, Morehouse, Howard and Tulane and his cGPA was about 3.50 with a 28Q MCAT. He got an interview with Tulane and then no offer. But, its just an anecdotal example.

[Flame219]

those schools have got accreditation by Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and aamc, isnt that all that matters to get licensure in canada (as you are considered just a US grad, which go for matching for placements in the same round as canadians, rather than IMGs). offcourse there are tests for canada which i will have to take, but still i would be in a better position as US grad than IMG.

 

Please do let me know why these schools are any bad, maybe I am unaware of certain info that might pose as a barrier later.

 

Thanks

 

Well, what a41 was pointing out is not that. Schools like morehouse, meharry and howard are schools that have a mandate to increase the number of doctors for underserved populations. So, they only accept URMs and explains why the GPA + MCAT requirements are lower.

 

Meharry accepts Canadian URMs for sure, maybe Howard. But I've never heard of Morehouse accepting Canadian URMs.

 

OP, if you're not URM forget about them. Take an extra year of undergrad to bump up your GPA, it helps in the long run.