Med school just a dream?

[sparkles3288]

Hello everyone,

 

So I know everyone hates these posts, but I was really hoping for some feedback/opinions from this forum since I have noticed in the past many of you are quite knowledgeable!

 

Going to medical school has been a dream my entire life. It's something i've always worked towards. For various reasons (ie: not quite understanding how to deal with uni workload), my first two years in undergrad suffered. I was always a 95+ student in high school, but it didn't end up so well. I smartened up after that and pulled up my gpa. After undergrad, I am currently in my master's program and love it! My ultimate goal would be some sort of clinical researcher.

 

Anyway, my stats are as follows:

 

Undergrad: BSc honours in microbiology; minor in psychology (IP Alberta).

1st year: 3.0

2nd year: 3.2

3rd year: 3.72

4th year: 3.89

 

Grad school (I only take two classes for my degree and i've taken both): 4.0

 

MCAT: 34S.

 

My graduate research is very clinically based and I deal with patients on a daily basis. I have won studentships from CIHR, AHFMR, and another canadian funding source (it's quite specific, so it might give who I am away! However, it's a national source). I also have (i'm in my first year of MSc currently) published 3 abstracts and 3 journal papers (one of which I am first author). I have done 2 summers of undergrad in research as well as my honours undergrad project.

 

EC's: I'm a volunteer coordinator for a national science program, ER volunteer, volunteer TA in undergrad, tutor, on conference committees, swim teams, rural scientific outreach on native reserves, conference attendance, lead scientific workshops, stagehand, humane society, food bank, operation christmas child, etc.

 

I'm worried no matter what I do, my undergrad GPA will bring me down. I'm applying for the first time this upcoming year but am likely thinking I won't get in. I will hopefully be done my master's in a year and a half from now (and will likely have another 2 publications by that time).

 

So here are my options:

 

a) Continue onto PhD (this deters me as it's another 4 years...)

Go back to undergrad and raise my GPA (Another year of undergrad psych will give me a full degree in it so perhaps do that?)

c) Work in microbiology industry and do EC"s to help (I doubt this since i've been told my EC's are not going to be my problem).

d) Give up!? lolol.

 

Ideas would be great. Thank you everyone. Your help means a lot!

[Dr.Henderson]

I think you're in much better shape than you're giving yourself credit for. You're well above the cutoffs for IP at both Alberta schools, you have a good MCAT score, and good ECs. Its all up to you in your application, references, and then the interview!

 

If it doesn't work I'd say Option B is probably your best bet, combined with continued volunteering of course. Option B is my course of action next year if I don't make the cut, and I have much less of a chance of making it than you do!

 

Bear in mind that you'll get a bonus at both schools for having your Masters degree. U of A will give you an extra point on your application, and U of C says they use your masters degree as one of the two best years for determining your pre-interview gpa cut-off. In either case you stand a better chance at getting an inverview because of your masters! Once you get an interview its all up to you to rock it and get yourself in.

 

Best of luck and keep us posted!

[astrogirl]

I think you have a decent chance of getting an interview this time around, but what do I know, I'm not an adcom. But if you don't get in the first time you apply here's what I think about your 4 options:

 

a) only do this if you really, really, really like research. I sort of like research. I'm doing a phd right now. I'm done taking classes and all I'm doing is research (and a small TA job). Sometimes I feel like I might go insane from staring at graphs on a computer screen all day long. So think seriously about how you feel about several years of almost nothing but research.

 

Sounds like a decent option, if it would only take you one more year. I probably wouldn't spend more than a year trying to raise your undergrad gpa, since you meet the cutoffs for both Alberta schools already. If you could go to school part-time while working part-time in industry, that would be really good.

 

c) I'd try b first, but this is a good option in the event that you need to to apply 3 times before getting in. Not saying I think that will happen, but we're talking worst-case scenarios here. But you could find a job you like and then you could just keep applying until you get in. Part of my backup plan includes doing something like this.

 

d) Bad option. Apply several times before you even consider this.

 

Good luck to you!

[WaveSense]

My marks were worse than yours, my MCAT was worse than yours, my ECs were worse than yours. I did a phd and got into 3 places in canada. If you're IP to alberta your chances at UofC are great. Toronto is another good bet for you and so is queens if you meet their mcat cutoffs. My only suggestion is that you put alot of effort and time into your u of t essay and really have that polished.

 

a)My first option and really I think is a good option unless you hate research.

b)No.

c)Why work in someone's lab for a year when just 2-3 more and you get a PhD which is not small feat.

d)No

 

edit:my marks in 1 year was slightly better but the other 3.. ya worse.. haha

edit:Don't be fixated on your undergrad marks. Your work in your masters obviously shows that you are intellegent which is really all marks are supposed to show. So you did bad in undergrad, all well, move on.

[sfinch]

While your undergrad marks were crappy, especially those first two years, with a masters and IP status in Alberta, you'll probably be fine for several schools.

 

Your best bets? Queen's (as long as V is >=10), Toronto, Calgary, and Alberta. Pretty much next to zero chance at other schools - but 4 decent chances is way better than most.

 

Good Luck.

[Slashsev01]

u also got western,

 

i have friends with similar stats that got accepted...dont give up..jus keep applying