Where do I fit in?

[setto]

Hey folks! Hope exams are going well.

 

I have the same old story, I ****ed around for a while in university (Concordia) because I had no idea what I wanted to do. Then some stuff happened in my family and I wanted to be a doctor, so for the last couple of years I've been trying to turn my life around.

 

I am by definition a weird-ass candidate (or an "i didn't know what i wanted to do" douchebag). My university life thus far has been like this:

 

-all GPAs are on 4.3-

1 Year in Physics: 2.9 GPA (Part time) (Work FT)

1 Year Mechanical Engineering: 3.0GPA (part time) (Work FT)

1 Year Mechanical Engineering: 4.13 GPA (started to get my shiz together)

Now I'm in exercise science and so far am rocking a 4.3.

 

My question is are they going to look at all my courses I've ever taken considering I never officially completed a bachelors before going into exercise science? Or is my only shot just to finish this degree and start up yet another one?

 

I know it seems kind of scummy asking this here when there are so many fantastic candidates on these boards that have known what they want to do since they started university, but I wanted to know if there was a chance for someone who had a change of heart.

 

Thanks for any help/criticism. Cheers!

[future_doc]

Wy not try to make an appointment at McGill Med, explain your situation and ask what it will take for you to become a competitive candidate. In your present course of study, As are very doable provided you work hard to obtain them, otherwise, Bs are attainable without killing yourself but won't help you.

 

Will you need an extrta year for your present program? And what if you do a Sepcialization? If so, you will have 3 good years. For ECs, look into the volunteer Cote St Luc EMS Program and consider applying to start with the summer intensive summer Red Cross course and then being a trainee.

[setto]

Thanks a lot for the help FD!

 

Yeah I was looking into the Cote St Luc thingy, however I work roughly 16-20 hours a week, I guess I can cut back on that and squeeze it in. looks like loads of fun/experience!

 

I'm gonna drop them an email and see what's what!

 

Cheers.

[future_doc]

The beauty is that when you are on a shift, during quiet times, you can study and do your assignments. However, be prepared to devote your first summer to them as a trainee after the course and as the low one on the totem pole, you cannot necessarily get the hours or times you prefer.

 

There is also S.T.E.P. at the Royal Vic for premeds and Mini-Meds at Montreal Children's Hospital.

 

Look into the SEpcialization in Clinical Exercise Physiology, which will give you 2 internships working with clients, enabling you to acquire communication and other skills as you reinforce your theoretical knowledge.

[masaraksh]

don't even bother with mcgill. not close.

[sirop]

I disagree.

 

I say, give it a shot. Maybe they'll see something in you.

[Robin Hood]

If you were able to achieve a 4.13 in Mechanical Engineering and a 4.3 in science, then you're on the right track. The best thing to do would be to talk to someone from McGill Med.

[setto]

don't even bother with mcgill. not close.

 

It's not so much that I'm striving just for McGill, I'm just curious about their policy on switching programs. And my GPA isn't all that far away from their IP cut off either.

 

I'm primarily banking on the US, or maybe go one of the routes my friends did and go to Ireland.

[setto]

And thanks a lot for the other responses peeps!

[masaraksh]

If you were able to achieve a 4.13 in Mechanical Engineering and a 4.3 in science, then you're on the right track. The best thing to do would be to talk to someone from McGill Med.

 

[ ] exercise science is real science.

[Robin Hood]

It's not so much that I'm striving just for McGill, I'm just curious about their policy on switching programs. And my GPA isn't all that far away from their IP cut off either.

 

I'm primarily banking on the US, or maybe go one of the routes my friends did and go to Ireland.

 

Why don't you try a francophone univ? Take some French courses if you need to, better than going to Ireland.

[future_doc]

Isn't that French test very difficult and doesn't it require a very high grade to be entitled to an interview if selected?

[MissMed]

Why don't you try a francophone univ? Take some French courses if you need to, better than going to Ireland.

 

It is not easier to get into French med schools!!! + you have to be fluent in French + English!

[setto]

Isn't that French test very difficult and doesn't it require a very high grade to be entitled to an interview if selected?

 

lol yeah I have a few friends from french highschools that had trouble passing that test.

[setto]

[ ] exercise science is real science.

 

Yeah you're right, I should have picked a program that didn't interest me, especially considering how much med school scrutinizes your undergrad selection.

 

Fact of the matter is, I still study all the time to get good grades, much like I did in that year of mechanical engineering. Max effort is max effort despite the difficulty of a particular class.

[masaraksh]

Yeah you're right, I should have picked a program that didn't interest me, especially considering how much med school scrutinizes your undergrad selection.

 

Fact of the matter is, I still study all the time to get good grades, much like I did in that year of mechanical engineering. Max effort is max effort despite the difficulty of a particular class.

 

[deeman101]

The french test is apparently really hard. A lot of the people in my class failed the test even though they can speak French perfectly well....the pass for medicine is like 90% or something for UdeM? (dunno for sure)

[setto]

 

Not sure what's confusing you. I know if i explain it to you, you will just respond with another negative comment like you have for every single one of your posts this thread, but I guess I'll do it anyways because I am a glutton for punishment.

 

When you are trying to get the best possible grade on a test or in a class, you need to put in a maximum amount of effort. If i knew EXACTLY how much I needed to study and EXACTLY what I needed to know in order to get an A+ I would do it, but considering this has never been the case for any exam I have ever written I need to study as much as I literally can (max effort) in order to ensure that I get the best possible mark. I've found this to be the case with every class I have ever taken. The effort that we can output never varies, however the classes themselves do.

 

Does that clear it up Masaraksh? Maybe you can respond and say that you only study a bit and get the best mark but that would be aside the point I'm trying to make. Maybe you can say that in a particular program you can barely study or put in minimal effort and get amazing marks, yet once again it would have nothing to do with the point I made above.

 

lol It seems you've made me a bit bitter. Maybe your confused emoticon was innocent...

[Gooner]

You have nothing to lose by going to see a mcgill adviser and see what they have to say. I am in exercise science first year at concordia as well so any info you get please share

[masaraksh]

Not sure what's confusing you. I know if i explain it to you, you will just respond with another negative comment like you have for every single one of your posts this thread, but I guess I'll do it anyways because I am a glutton for punishment.

 

When you are trying to get the best possible grade on a test or in a class, you need to put in a maximum amount of effort. If i knew EXACTLY how much I needed to study and EXACTLY what I needed to know in order to get an A+ I would do it, but considering this has never been the case for any exam I have ever written I need to study as much as I literally can (max effort) in order to ensure that I get the best possible mark. I've found this to be the case with every class I have ever taken. The effort that we can output never varies, however the classes themselves do.

 

Does that clear it up Masaraksh? Maybe you can respond and say that you only study a bit and get the best mark but that would be aside the point I'm trying to make. Maybe you can say that in a particular program you can barely study or put in minimal effort and get amazing marks, yet once again it would have nothing to do with the point I made above.

 

lol It seems you've made me a bit bitter. Maybe your confused emoticon was innocent...

 

Well I wasn't trying to be a ****, but I just can't understand your "I'm putting in maximum effort yada yada" argument.

 

To me it makes no sense. I think its not too much of a stretch to say that a science like exercise science or nutrition is much less challenging than stuff like biochem/ physics/ immunology etc. (this may be a bit controversial - but lets face it kinesiology is just nowhere near the difficulty of biochem or other similar majors). Now, what you were saying is that it doesn't matter what the courses are because you are still putting in "max effort"... well thats where my head "assplodes". I'm pretty sure that easier courses would require less effort than harder courses - by definition.

 

Anyway, like I said before, don't really bank on McGill with those grades and whatever. They accept like 1 out 100 students...for OOP and competition for IP is still pretty fierce. It just seems that your "Oh I did mech. eng, then some exercise science, now wanna be doctor wheee" resume is not really gonna cut into the top 10% which is what you need at the very least.

 

"you're not a beautiful and unique snowflake"

[mm88]

Well I wasn't trying to be a ****, but I just can't understand your "I'm putting in maximum effort yada yada" argument.

 

To me it makes no sense. I think its not too much of a stretch to say that a science like exercise science or nutrition is much less challenging than stuff like biochem/ physics/ immunology etc. (this may be a bit controversial - but lets face it kinesiology is just nowhere near the difficulty of biochem or other similar majors). Now, what you were saying is that it doesn't matter what the courses are because you are still putting in "max effort"... well thats where my head "assplodes". I'm pretty sure that easier courses would require less effort than harder courses - by definition.

 

Anyway, like I said before, don't really bank on McGill with those grades and whatever. They accept like 1 out 100 students...for OOP and competition for IP is still pretty fierce. It just seems that your "Oh I did mech. eng, then some exercise science, now wanna be doctor wheee" resume is not really gonna cut into the top 10% which is what you need at the very least.

 

"you're not a beautiful and unique snowflake"

 

I really don't want to sound nasty, but I (and I'm sure some other members) find your "holy than thou" attitude very rude. Who are you to tell someone that they are not good enough? Did you see his ECs? Are you on the McGill ADCOM? He still has time to improve his marks.

 

I actually admire this guy for having the guts to go out there and try new things to discover his true passion.

 

Engineering is also a hell of a lot harder than anything you've listed above, if he can do well in Eng, I'm sure he can do well in another discipline, especially if he is prepared to work hard. All he's trying to say is that he's willing to put the work in, no matter what he's studying. Some people actually study for the sake of personal enrichment and interest (gasp! ), rather than as a stepping stone into med school.

 

Further, I'm really not sure how Nutrition and Exercise Science is SO vastly different from or simpler than any life science discipline - it all still boils down to maximum memorization and far less application/critical thinking in comparison to programs like political science, philosophy or engineering.

[future_doc]

When you are trying to get the best possible grade on a test or in a class, you need to put in a maximum amount of effort.........I need to study as much as I literally can (max effort) in order to ensure that I get the best possible mark. I've found this to be the case with every class I have ever taken. The effort that we can output never varies, however the classes themselves do.

 

setto, you are absolutely correct in all you say. In Exercise Science, consistent extraordinary work is required to obtain straight As, whereas it is possible to obtain Bs with considerably less effort - of course, in that case, medicine is just not in the cards.

 

So stay faithful to your plan and method of excution, it is the only way; and stay faithful to your goal of medicine. Many from exercise science have entered medicine doing exactly what you are doing. And for those who think it is an esay course of study, let them try for themselves and they will see what happens to them if they don't put in the required work ethic.

[masaraksh]

I actually admire this guy for having the guts to go out there and try new things to discover his true passion.

 

really? discover one's true passion? It really doesn't sound like a person who switches from physics, to mech eng, to exercise science in a few years has any clue about what he wants to do. Why medicine??? maybe you'll be switching to law, or econ, or.... literature next year.

 

Engineering is also a hell of a lot harder than anything you've listed above, if he can do well in Eng, I'm sure he can do well in another discipline, especially if he is prepared to work hard.

 

lol.

[future_doc]

Play nice. Why medicine, this setto will answer to adcom if asked.

 

setto: you are on track. Just ignore those who don't have a clue.

[masaraksh]

Play nice. Why medicine, this setto will answer to adcom if asked.

 

setto: you are on track. Just ignore those who don't have a clue.

 

now i don't have a clue?