MGB Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 I'm wondering if anyone can give me some insight into applying at Queensland in Australia versus Saba in the Caribbean. I've gone through the Canadian process a couple times now to no avail (although this year remains to be seen) and am considering other options. Can anyone suggest if I even have a shot at these schools with the following academic breakdown?... Undergrad GPA 3.67 Completed Masters degree at UBC MCAT score: BS-11, VR-12, PS-10, WS-Q What I'm really wondering is what are the chances of getting back to practice in Canada if I attend one of these schools? And are your chances improved if you do a lot of clinical rotations in Canada...if so, which school is the better option to maximize North American clinical rotations? Any insight would be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashmetoo Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 I'm wondering if anyone can give me some insight into applying at Queensland in Australia versus Saba in the Caribbean. I've gone through the Canadian process a couple times now to no avail (although this year remains to be seen) and am considering other options. Can anyone suggest if I even have a shot at these schools with the following academic breakdown?... Undergrad GPA 3.67 Completed Masters degree at UBC MCAT score: BS-11, VR-12, PS-10, WS-Q What I'm really wondering is what are the chances of getting back to practice in Canada if I attend one of these schools? And are your chances improved if you do a lot of clinical rotations in Canada...if so, which school is the better option to maximize North American clinical rotations? Any insight would be helpful. Your MCAT is good, although your GPA is slightly depressed.. I'm surprised you haven't been successful with IP status in BC... Your stats are good enough for US schools, I'd leave the Caribbean/Australia alone... Also, your status says you are in Calgary.. if you have IP status there as well, you'd have a shot at UofAlberta, thier IP requirements are a lot lower than OPP requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviathan Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 You'd have no problem getting into either Queensland or Saba with those scores. I would actually suggest you keep reapplying in Canada and do what you can to improve your chances (do you have 1 or 2 good years consideration for Queens/UWO? can you get IP status by moving to Alberta or the Maritimes? can you improve your non-academic score? etc). Your chances of matching in Canada are increased by doing elective rotations in Canada, doing well and getting good reference letters from the program directors. UBC and I think one other school will only allow IMGs from Commonwealth schools to do electives which is a bonus for Queensland. Saba is at an advantage because all of your rotations are done in North America, and it's much easier to hop over to Canadian schools from the US to do electives than flying all the way from Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGB Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 You'd have no problem getting into either Queensland or Saba with those scores. I would actually suggest you keep reapplying in Canada and do what you can to improve your chances (do you have 1 or 2 good years consideration for Queens/UWO? can you get IP status by moving to Alberta or the Maritimes? can you improve your non-academic score? etc). Your chances of matching in Canada are increased by doing elective rotations in Canada, doing well and getting good reference letters from the program directors. UBC and I think one other school will only allow IMGs from Commonwealth schools to do electives which is a bonus for Queensland. Saba is at an advantage because all of your rotations are done in North America, and it's much easier to hop over to Canadian schools from the US to do electives than flying all the way from Australia. Thanks for the input. I am still holding my breath that I hear some good news on the Canadian front this year. I did actually move from BC to Alberta this passed summer to better my chances at U of C and U of A. Last year I scored about a 70 pre-interview for Calgary...which would have been 4 points over the cutoff had I been IP...so I have my fingers crossed for this year. First time applying to U of A. Unfortunately I don't really have 2 undergrad years that were markedly better than the rest...I basically pulled around a 3.7 every term...my non-academics I would think (at least in my opinion) are pretty strong...played for my university hockey team, played hockey internationally in Slovakia, trips with Habitat for Humanity, medical volunteer to Guatemala, volunteered in Africa, and lots of school leadership involvement during undergrad...yet i can't seem to crack an interview in Canada...is it just the 3.7 GPA? I would have thought my Masters degree would help that? Leviathin, another question for you. (I'm assuming you are at Saba currently based on your footnote) I'm married and a big concern with Saba is all the jumping around to do your clinical rotations States or Canada side. The way rotations work at Saba are you constantly on the move and never feeling very settled? Thus would be a big concern for my wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviathan Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Thanks for the input. I am still holding my breath that I hear some good news on the Canadian front this year. I did actually move from BC to Alberta this passed summer to better my chances at U of C and U of A. Last year I scored about a 70 pre-interview for Calgary...which would have been 4 points over the cutoff had I been IP...so I have my fingers crossed for this year. First time applying to U of A. Unfortunately I don't really have 2 undergrad years that were markedly better than the rest...I basically pulled around a 3.7 every term...my non-academics I would think (at least in my opinion) are pretty strong...played for my university hockey team, played hockey internationally in Slovakia, trips with Habitat for Humanity, medical volunteer to Guatemala, volunteered in Africa, and lots of school leadership involvement during undergrad...yet i can't seem to crack an interview in Canada...is it just the 3.7 GPA? I would have thought my Masters degree would help that? Leviathin, another question for you. (I'm assuming you are at Saba currently based on your footnote) I'm married and a big concern with Saba is all the jumping around to do your clinical rotations States or Canada side. The way rotations work at Saba are you constantly on the move and never feeling very settled? Thus would be a big concern for my wife. Well keep trying. I don't know what it is, but I bet if you post in the other forums (eg the ALberta or UBC forums) there are lots of people on here who could help you improve your app. Trust me, the last thing you want to do is go to an international school because you will be fighting an uphill battle for the next 4 years if you do. You may have to move around for clerkship if you go to Saba. Sometimes, but I can't promise anything, you may be able to get 4/5 of your rotations in one spot, which means you'll spend close to a year in the same spot. I'm trying to get most of my rotations in one location now, and so far I have 2 scheduled (IM, OB) and hoping for a 3rd (surgery). If you are willing to have gaps between each rotation and wait for the next one to come up in your area, then that increases the odds too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepontrying Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Thanks for the input. I am still holding my breath that I hear some good news on the Canadian front this year. I did actually move from BC to Alberta this passed summer to better my chances at U of C and U of A. Last year I scored about a 70 pre-interview for Calgary...which would have been 4 points over the cutoff had I been IP...so I have my fingers crossed for this year. First time applying to U of A. Unfortunately I don't really have 2 undergrad years that were markedly better than the rest...I basically pulled around a 3.7 every term...my non-academics I would think (at least in my opinion) are pretty strong...played for my university hockey team, played hockey internationally in Slovakia, trips with Habitat for Humanity, medical volunteer to Guatemala, volunteered in Africa, and lots of school leadership involvement during undergrad...yet i can't seem to crack an interview in Canada...is it just the 3.7 GPA? I would have thought my Masters degree would help that? Leviathin, another question for you. (I'm assuming you are at Saba currently based on your footnote) I'm married and a big concern with Saba is all the jumping around to do your clinical rotations States or Canada side. The way rotations work at Saba are you constantly on the move and never feeling very settled? Thus would be a big concern for my wife. You didn't get an interview invite from UBC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGB Posted January 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 You didn't get an interview invite from UBC? Nope. 2 years applying, no interview either time...so I moved to Alberta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGB Posted January 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 FYI I missed the interview cutoff by about 0.4 first time...applied again and missed it by over 2 points the next. And my second app was much stronger both in how it was written and in added extracurriculars...even had my friend who was the valedictorian of this passed years graduating UBC med class look it over for me and he said it was quite good. Go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiceWine Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Nope. 2 years applying, no interview either time...so I moved to Alberta. your stats are amazing. sorry to hear that you have to move out of bc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGB Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Just got an interview invite to Mac. Still to hear from U of C, U of A, and Queens...hopefully I won't have to go the international route after all. This is my first interview in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Kaiser Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Just got an interview invite to Mac. Still to hear from U of C, U of A, and Queens...hopefully I won't have to go the international route after all. This is my first interview in Canada. Congratulations. I was just rejected so Ireland is my only hope. That or another year of improving my application (which could use some improvement for sure). At my age I just want to get this thing started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGB Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Congratulations. I was just rejected so Ireland is my only hope. That or another year of improving my application (which could use some improvement for sure). At my age I just want to get this thing started. Sorry to hear that you didn't get an invite. The whole CASPer thing made it impossibly hard to predict this year. Hope you have good luck with your international options...I may still be following suit yet. For now I'm just happy that after 3 straight years being rejected pre-interview I finally cracked in somewhere...I guess persistence does pay off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Kaiser Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Sorry to hear that you didn't get an invite. The whole CASPer thing made it impossibly hard to predict this year. Hope you have good luck with your international options...I may still be following suit yet. For now I'm just happy that after 3 straight years being rejected pre-interview I finally cracked in somewhere...I guess persistence does pay off. 3 years sounds so long, but I guess if you truly want something you just keep trying. It's a shame that Canadian medical schools do not have space for qualified applicants that are passionate enough about medicine to continuously apply year after year. I truly hope the interviews go well for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviathan Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Now that you're getting interviews I'd say it's even more important to stay local. The stress of going international and uncertainty if you will ever get a resdiency is not worth starting a year or two earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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