question about applying to med schools

[Guest anothermedhopeful]

Okay so i have a question- i sorta did 2 years at my university and then i sorta took 5 years off. Please dont ask me why i really have no reason other then i got sick of school plus wasnt really interested in medicine or anyting for that matter. Anyways recently applied to uofa (actually a year ago) and my first yr marks at uofa are back and they are pretty high-3.8. Im hoping i get similar or higher marks next year. My question though is for universities that only take on two years when making final decisions do they look at everything youve ever done? If so im so out of luck, if not then my two years def stand a chance maybe?

I have extensive hrs of volutneering at different places, have quite a bit of ECs in my portfolio and yes i do have a high mcat mark as well 38S.

Im just scared that i might be asked to perhaps finish a second degree-im 24 anther degree will make me get even moreolder and ive already wasted so much of my life away as is. Im seriously considering applying to carribeans but thats another story. Hopefully someone can help me. I dont really like listing all my credentials if anyone wants though i can send them a pm of exactly what ive done. My major concern though is my gpa and the fact that i was out of school for 5 years and did nothing at that time and i wasnt interested in medicine until this year. Gah!

[shikimate]

I think you are in good position. As far as I am aware of there is no policy saying you can't take time off during your degree. If you can replicate 3.8 next year with full course load I think you should be fine for schools that look at 2 years. And if during those 5 years some event caused an epiphany for your desire to study medicine then you might even use that to your advantage.

[Genemo]

get another 3.8 year and you'll get an interview at UWO

[MD2015]

Your in good shape and have life experience that will serve you well in the MMI (interview).

[simpy]

Okay so i have a question- i sorta did 2 years at my university and then i sorta took 5 years off. Please dont ask me why i really have no reason other then i got sick of school plus wasnt really interested in medicine or anyting for that matter. Anyways recently applied to uofa (actually a year ago) and my first yr marks at uofa are back and they are pretty high-3.8. Im hoping i get similar or higher marks next year. My question though is for universities that only take on two years when making final decisions do they look at everything youve ever done? If so im so out of luck, if not then my two years def stand a chance maybe?

I have extensive hrs of volutneering at different places, have quite a bit of ECs in my portfolio and yes i do have a high mcat mark as well 38S.

Im just scared that i might be asked to perhaps finish a second degree-im 24 anther degree will make me get even moreolder and ive already wasted so much of my life away as is. Im seriously considering applying to carribeans but thats another story. Hopefully someone can help me. I dont really like listing all my credentials if anyone wants though i can send them a pm of exactly what ive done. My major concern though is my gpa and the fact that i was out of school for 5 years and did nothing at that time and i wasnt interested in medicine until this year. Gah!

 

It's possible... but I think you are going to have to think some more about why you want to pursue medicine and work on different ways of expressing what you have done.

 

For instance, you say that you have "wasted" your time. Wasted? You need to work on that. In those five years you are going to want to show that you learned something. You say you did nothing though - if this really is the case, you are going to have problems at U of C and Queen's. Hopefully you at least had a job.

 

Also, you talk about a starting a second degree at 24, and about how you're too old and imply that it would be a further waste of time. I started a second degree at 26, and am so happy that I did. Not only was it necessary for me to enter medicine, but I learned so much about myself and about life in general by doing so. It's definitely HARD to do a second degree - most of my friends didn't understand, my family thought I was making a poor choice, I had to deal with the stigma of being "the mature student," and I burned through most of the money I had saved working after my first degree; but it was worth everything. Even if I never got into medicine, it was worth it.

 

Anyway, to answer your question, most universities will look at everything you have ever done. So if your first two years were bad, you're in trouble for the majority of medical schools in Canada. Depending on how bad your first two years are, with a full second degree you can salvage yourself at many schools; in either case if you continue to perform well then Queens, Western, and potentially Ottawa will be viable options.

 

Lastly, Western and Queen's (which are your two best bets) care mostly about your verbal score - Queen's wants to see a 10 and Western an 11. Hopefully you have that.

 

Edit: thoughts on whether this poster is a troll?

[amh1212]

Hey its me anothermedhopeful-for some odd reason i cant seem to post any more msges with that account name?

Anyways...

your post really motivated me alot simply! Thanks! I know i shouldnt really bring in age into my sudden desire to becoming a doctor its just when i look at my situation i realize i wont be making a living until im over 30. Not to mention i will be so much in debt after my medical studies im not going to be successful until im 40

Those 5 years i did work, i did take online courses too although i didnt do too well on them. I did volunteer lots though-have always enjoyed volunteering. Anyways not a whole lot def.

IF you dont mind me asking, what were your two degrees you took? Was your second degree only 2 years or did you do another 4 years?

Also, since im not too sure, if i do another degree its not like my first two years are going to dissappear. They will be in my transcript so in a way i cant escape those so is a second degree even goint to help me?

Yes i did do really good in my mcat. I do believe i got a 12 in VR so mcat wise im really good!