What would be my chances?

[twinklystar_hp]

If I move to calgary next year for some one year masters program, apply to Uof C med school next oct (for 2012 matriculation), with a gpa 3.73, volunteered one whole year (800+ hours) in community hospital here downtown toronto - St michael's - with a psychiatrist in mental health program - administering questionanires and sometimes even memory tests to patients , keeping the lab data upto date... etc... mcat 30S (i dont really plan to rewrite it, but i MIGHT...)

 

 

would it be worth for me to go through such a big change - moving all the way to calgary ? as in, how much chance would i have of getting into the med school as an IP with the above stats??

 

becuz as an OOP, with a 3.73 gpa and hardly any extensive volunteer as of right now (i have just started the hospital volunteeer 2 months back..) , i highly doubt i have much of a chance of getting in this year... =)

[emma3]

What province are you in right now and why do you think you would have a better chance at Calgary then whatever Med School is in your province?

[twinklystar_hp]

^ontario - UofT. cuz of its gpa calculation scheme - ie avg of best two years (also UofA's scheme is pretty good as well)... my cgpa is otherwise 3.59 - not too bad, but not as good either... avg of my best two years is 3.83 or something like that though... plus, the fact that 85% of seats at both U of A and Uof C r given to IP's - makes me think i might have a better shot at them (as IP ofcoruse)...

[HBP]

GPA isn't best 2 years at UofC, only when determining OOP's who get a full file review.

 

UofC looks at cGPA. Alberta's is pimp though.

 

You definitely have a better shot if you gain IP residency, compared to Ontario.

[emma3]

That is interesting. Why is it considered easier if you are IP in alberta to get in? Just more seats available? Both schools have approx 170 seats right? So that is 240.. which is less than UBC's 280.. Is there just less interest in medicine in Alberta or is it that they take so few out of province that makes it easier to get in?

[GGGSaint]

That is interesting. Why is it considered easier if you are IP in alberta to get in? Just more seats available? Both schools have approx 170 seats right? So that is 240.. which is less than UBC's 280.. Is there just less interest in medicine in Alberta or is it that they take so few out of province that makes it easier to get in?

 

More spots IP = lower academic standards. This is true in any school that gives preference to their own (IP) students.

[HBP]

More spots IP = lower academic standards. This is true in any school that gives preference to their own (IP) students.

 

Not McMaster lol. ****ing Ontario.

[LupeFiasco]

^ +1

 

- Lupe

[abcdmed]

is volunteering at the hospital the only thing you can list on your EC's? do you have other work experience, hobbies etc? Although UofC will consider lower GPA's you can offset that by excellent EC's and diversity of experience in your life.

 

UofA doesn't take into account your grad GPA

[emma3]

so for a given med school applicant what province is the easiest to get into med school in and which is the toughest? or is it really not that simple?

[LupeFiasco]

so for a given med school applicant what province is the easiest to get into med school in and which is the toughest? or is it really not that simple?

 

It's not that simple.

 

- Lupe

[hking03]

so for a given med school applicant what province is the easiest to get into med school in and which is the toughest? or is it really not that simple?

 

it depends upon the province of residence, what the applicants background is... stats, ec's, if they can apply through a different stream... etc.

 

generally speaking you have a higher likelihood of getting in to a school in a province you can claim residency in. as noted above mcmaster may be a bit different.

 

that's the simplest answer you can get...

[twinklystar_hp]

hey guys!

 

thanks for the replies! =)

 

well i did get rejected for full review - not a big surprise.. lol..

 

but i still am seriously considering moving to calgary.... there's a one years masters program there that i am interested in... and it seems of UofC doesnt really care much if u leave a masters program mid-way ... i know that doesn't make me sound much like a "committed" candidate, but i need to have a backup incase med doesn't work out here - since i am not too keen on going for international MD... and thus i am thinking of applying to couple of masters programs - while concurrently applying to UofC again... i really do want to get into med, but i don't want to waste yet another year (i have taken this current year off as it is...)...

 

what i do want to ask u guys was - which other med schools don't require applicants to complete the degree programs they r enrolled in before matriculation..??

 

i know that isn't a wise idea, but just incase, i want to know my options after i enrol in a grad program this year...on the same page, WOULD i be able to secure a supervisor in the first place who'd be willing to give me a position in his/her lab KNOWING i might leave for med school midway...? (on a second though, i realise this is just a "stupid" q, and there really can't be any such supervisor...)

[nosuperman]

That is interesting. Why is it considered easier if you are IP in alberta to get in? Just more seats available? Both schools have approx 170 seats right? So that is 240.. which is less than UBC's 280.. Is there just less interest in medicine in Alberta or is it that they take so few out of province that makes it easier to get in?

 

In addition to the above replies, Alberta IP status is often sought because its the easiest to obtain (one year residency). In the case of Alberta the limited OOP spots make for GPA "cutoffs" around 3.9+, higher than any IP cutoffs in Canada.

[simpy]

In addition to the above replies, Alberta IP status is often sought because its the easiest to obtain (one year residency). In the case of Alberta the limited OOP spots make for GPA "cutoffs" around 3.9+, higher than any IP cutoffs in Canada.

 

Huh? This really isn't true. Calgary isn't bad at all for OOP spots. You just have to nail the interview, but they probably accept OOP students all the time with GPAs in the 3.7-3.8 range. It's certainly not as bad as something like UBC or McGill.

 

Twinkystar - I would seriously consider if moving to Calgary is the best option for you. If you didn't make the file review score and can't get in IP in your province, do you think having IP status in Alberta would get you in?

 

It sort of depends on your stats, but I would only consider it if you were truly a borderline case (cumulative GPA around 3.7, MCAT above 30P, better than average extracurriculars, would do better than average in an interview).

 

If this is not the case, you might consider doing a second undergrad degree as a backup. Doing 2 years and getting 3.8+ will expand your chance of getting into med school more than a master's will, while also allowing you to vastly improve your extracurriculars.

[thatonekid]

Huh? This really isn't true. Calgary isn't bad at all for OOP spots. You just have to nail the interview, but they probably accept OOP students all the time with GPAs in the 3.7-3.8 range. It's certainly not as bad as something like UBC or McGill.

That may be true, but it's not because the applicant aced the interview. Due to UofC's OOP formula, they must have had killer VR and BS scores on their MCAT. Higher than the same person would have needed if they were IP.

[bloh]

Why is everyone so gung-ho about doing something. A masters won't help you get into any school so if all you are doing is waiting and bidding your time, do something productive such as getting a job. It will make you not hate your life, get you some much-needed money and it will actually look good on your application. Furthermore, you have a backup (a job) in case you need another application cycle.

 

P.S. You have no idea how important the bolded part is until you are in that situation.

[R.T.Lewi]

Why is everyone so gung-ho about doing something. A masters won't help you get into any school so if all you are doing is waiting and bidding your time, do something productive such as getting a job. It will make you not hate your life, get you some much-needed money and it will actually look good on your application. Furthermore, you have a backup (a job) in case you need another application cycle.

 

P.S. You have no idea how important the bolded part is until you are in that situation.

 

 

A Master's will not help you get into any school? A Master's degree isn't something productive? I seriously doubt that, and question your logic behind that statement. A Master's lets you gain research experience, lets you publish, travel to international places for conferences, gain strong academic reference letters, gives you a chance to improve your GPA and puts you in a position for a much better job once you've graduated regardless if you get into the MD program or not. I think staying in school, doing something you like, and doing something that will be of value later on is way better than getting stuck behind a desk or something for a year doing a job you're not committed to keeping. Plus there's a good amount of free time in a grad program so it gives you a chance to re-write the MCAT if you need to, and gives you time to add some more ECs. Lastly, Master's (and PhD) students can get paid quite well. Most grad scholarships are in the range of 17-23 thousand per year, untaxed. Play your cards right and you'll be getting paid to earn a grad degree. Yeah, I guess that is a little unproductive...

[*Pixie*]

A Master's will not help you get into any school? A Master's degree isn't something productive? I seriously doubt that, and question your logic behind that statement. A Master's lets you gain research experience, lets you publish, travel to international places for conferences, gain strong academic reference letters, gives you a chance to improve your GPA and puts you in a position for a much better job once you've graduated regardless if you get into the MD program or not. I think staying in school, doing something you like, and doing something that will be of value later on is way better than getting stuck behind a desk or something for a year doing a job you're not committed to keeping. Plus there's a good amount of free time in a grad program so it gives you a chance to re-write the MCAT if you need to, and gives you time to add some more ECs. Lastly, Master's (and PhD) students can get paid quite well. Most grad scholarships are in the range of 17-23 thousand per year, untaxed. Play your cards right and you'll be getting paid to earn a grad degree. Yeah, I guess that is a little unproductive...

 

I completely agree. Doing Master's for me was one of the most challenging things ever. It definitely takes you out of your academic comfort zone. There are no textbooks to memorize and nobody tells you how you should go about your project - you are on your own, digging your way through, making mistakes and wasting time sometimes and in the end you figure it out and it's the most amazing feeling of achievement. I also agree that having a graduate degree allows you to get a better job (if you don't get in to med right away) since you are technically trained as a "project manager". And lastly, having spoken to many med students I know, a graduate degree sets you apart from other applicants when going into residency and/or when getting a fellowship since many positions require that you get involved in research while practicing medicine.

 

That being said, many applicants are successful through their medical careers with no graduate degree. My main argument here is in supporting the choice of doing a graduate degree vs doing some mediocre job.

[R.T.Lewi]

do you only get paid (grad scholarships) for reearch based masters? or also course based?

 

I'm not 100% sure about course-based Master's, but I would imagine there are likely some opportunities. I have a friend doing a course-based degree and he is getting money from somewhere, so it must be possible. Check the grad awards website of your university and they will probably have a list of all possible awards and what their requirements are. That said, I would expect that the value of the awards are probably larger for the research based degrees and there are probably a greater number of research-based awards.

[bloh]

A Master's will not help you get into any school? A Master's degree isn't something productive? I seriously doubt that, and question your logic behind that statement. A Master's lets you gain research experience, lets you publish, travel to international places for conferences, gain strong academic reference letters, gives you a chance to improve your GPA and puts you in a position for a much better job once you've graduated regardless if you get into the MD program or not. I think staying in school, doing something you like, and doing something that will be of value later on is way better than getting stuck behind a desk or something for a year doing a job you're not committed to keeping. Plus there's a good amount of free time in a grad program so it gives you a chance to re-write the MCAT if you need to, and gives you time to add some more ECs. Lastly, Master's (and PhD) students can get paid quite well. Most grad scholarships are in the range of 17-23 thousand per year, untaxed. Play your cards right and you'll be getting paid to earn a grad degree. Yeah, I guess that is a little unproductive...

 

 

First off, if you're at a crossroads and are weighing your options and the option to go into graduate school is even remotely on the same level as anything else, then graduate school is not for you. Bitter, unhappy graduate students are more common than hookers in the sketchy part of town after 1AM.

 

Secondly, the 1year masters program that the OP is referring to is trash. It is universally ridiculed by just about everyone from faculty, to students, to other professionals working in the university.

 

Yeah, graduate school can be an amazing experience; I was there and loved it. But similarly, licking a dirty butthole is the most wonderful experience for any cat out there but it's not for everyone.

[calgaryguy]

First off, if you're at a crossroads and are weighing your options and the option to go into graduate school is even remotely on the same level as anything else, then graduate school is not for you. Bitter, unhappy graduate students are more common than hookers in the sketchy part of town after 1AM.

 

Secondly, the 1year masters program that the OP is referring to is trash. It is universally ridiculed by just about everyone from faculty, to students, to other professionals working in the university.

 

Yeah, graduate school can be an amazing experience; I was there and loved it. But similarly, licking a dirty butthole is the most wonderful experience for any cat out there but it's not for everyone.

 

I think the motivation for choosing work vs. graduate studies should be based on the area of your application you would like to improve.

 

If your undergrad GPA is not as competitive as you'd like, a masters could boost that and provide you with opportunities to present your research as mentioned above. However, I agree with bloh, the 1 year course-based masters are a joke. If you're going back to school, man-up and do some research.

 

If you are looking to help your EC section and want to pay off your student loans, find a decent job that challenges you and showcases some "skillz" you've acquired in the real world.

 

I'm not an expert, just a lurking non-trad geezer...but I did go back to do a second bachelors (to boost my gpa, do a thesis, etc.) and I have been working for a couple of years in a job where i can add to my ECs (prof. designations, conferences, etc.). Both of these things I hope will help my chances this year.

 

Pick what you think would help your app the most, just don't get a 1 yr course-based masters.

[JP2118]

Yeah, graduate school can be an amazing experience; I was there and loved it. But similarly, licking a dirty butthole is the most wonderful experience for any cat out there but it's not for everyone.

 

Amazing, just pure genius.

[osmosis]

Yeah, graduate school can be an amazing experience; I was there and loved it. But similarly, licking a dirty butthole is the most wonderful experience for any cat out there but it's not for everyone.

 

lol! 'effin awesome.

[joba17]

do you only get paid (grad scholarships) for reearch based masters? or also course based?

 

I am in a course-based clinical masters right now and unfortunately we don't get paid:( . All things considered though, I know many people who had graduated last year (and the year before) and still have yet to find decent employment. So even though I'm still paying tuition (which sucks, I won't lie) the clinical experience has been worth it for me.