JohnDakota Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Hey everyone, It has been a while since I paid attention to the medschool game. I decided back in 2009 to do a PhD, and while I still have roughly 2 years left in it, I have also figured out that Med is definitely where I want to be. Don't get me wrong, I love research, but I really can't see myself being a Prof, or doing research for the rest of my life. The professional freedom, and creativity is fantastic, but it's too disconnected from people and the personal freedom (where you can work/live) isn't particularly what I want from life. I was hoping to go to uOttawa, but I see they've discontinued their graduate student application (2nd chance) option. Also, my MCAT is expired by now. Is redoing my MCAT my only option now? I think my wGPA is roughly 3.5. Like I said.. been a while. JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preppy038 Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I think it's still possible for you to apply to uOttawa, you'll just have a ton of research experience compared to other students because of your PhD degree. But I am not sure how they look at graduate GPA, and so it may be difficult for you to get an interview if they only look at your undergrad GPA. To be honest, the best school to get into after doing a PhD is Toronto since they value grad students so much than other schools. In the lab I work in, two of the PhD students got into Toronto after their degree. That's 2 students out of 3 PhD students (I'm sure it's skewed in some way but still) Is redoing my MCAT my only option now? I think yes. The only schools that don't require the MCAT are the french schools and uOttawa (and maybe USask). :S Toronto only uses MCAT grades as a flag (Which is one of the reasons why a lot of graduate students get in) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooty Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I think your wGPA does not make the cut at ottawa, meaning you have zero chance there. Rewriting the MCAT is the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I think your wGPA does not make the cut at ottawa, meaning you have zero chance there. Rewriting the MCAT is the way to go. Ya.. I always went to the uOttawa grad student review when I applied in the past. I was on the 'good' wait-list for uOttawa in 2008. From all my friends who have gone through uOttawa it was the first time they'd ever heard of the 'good' wait list not being exhausted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddah Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 U of T (maybe mac - if you do good in VR) would be your best bet at moment, they really like graduate students, your GPA is kinda on the low side tho; however, its still very possible! Goodluck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 What was your GPA in your two best 5.0 credit UG years? What was it in the last two GPA years? (Western and queens questions ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I have all my GPA data on my home computer. Running a few columns in the lab... they take 6+ hours =( I'll post my gpa data as soon as I get home. My last 2 UG years were very strong. It's my first 1.5 years that kill my gpa. Sad part is I started UG in 2000.. so it's not like they're at all representative of the kind of student I am today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I have all my GPA data on my home computer. Running a few columns in the lab... they take 6+ hours =( I'll post my gpa data as soon as I get home. My last 2 UG years were very strong. It's my first 1.5 years that kill my gpa. Sad part is I started UG in 2000.. so it's not like they're at all representative of the kind of student I am today. Cool, well let us know - you may be able to apply like I said to Western and Queens if you redo the MCAT then. Holistic review at Queens I would hope would look at a PHD favourable and then it is just 100% interview so GPA/MCAT shouldn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Cool, well let us know - you may be able to apply like I said to Western and Queens if you redo the MCAT then. Holistic review at Queens I would hope would look at a PHD favourable and then it is just 100% interview so GPA/MCAT shouldn't matter. Best 5.0 credit years happen to be last 2 years also. 2004 = 3.8 2003 = 3.7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Best 5.0 credit years happen to be last 2 years also. 2004 = 3.8 2003 = 3.7 Ok, GPA cut offs potentially change but right now you hit both Western and Queens cut offs for the current year. The only thing stopping you from applying to those schools is redoing the MCAT. When did you last write that? and what did you get on it when you did? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Ok, GPA cut offs potentially change but right now you hit both Western and Queens cut offs for the current year. The only thing stopping you from applying to those schools is redoing the MCAT. When did you last write that? and what did you get on it when you did? I believe I wrote in 2006. PS = 14 BS = 12 VR = 7 WS = Q FOr some reason I remember 33 as my overall.. but I know my VR was trash.. I specifically remember 40th percentile.... i suppose that's what happens when you only get 1.5 hrs sleep the night before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 I believe I wrote in 2006. PS = 14 BS = 12 VR = 7 WS = Q FOr some reason I remember 33 as my overall.. but I know my VR was trash.. I specifically remember 40th percentile.... i suppose that's what happens when you only get 1.5 hrs sleep the night before. Yeah but that score has some serious potential - the work involved with a phD likely will improve your VR skills automatically. I would love to see what that score would be now, well rested with reasonable prep. Clearly the PS and BS sections are not a serious issue for you either of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted July 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Yeah but that score has some serious potential - the work involved with a phD likely will improve your VR skills automatically. I would love to see what that score would be now, well rested with reasonable prep. Clearly the PS and BS sections are not a serious issue for you either of course. Ya.. i finished the PS section 20 minutes early and handed in paper because I knew if I revised my answers I was going to get things wrong. The VR, however, felt like I was reading chinese. I think anyone trying to function the day after an all-nighter finishing lab reports knows the feeling. And ya... the PhD is probably the most rigorous exercise in logical reasoning I have ever attempted. I love it. I didn't enjoy the VR questions that asked 'what statement best reflects the authors tone' though... and all the answers were essentially correct... so it's really what answer is MOST correct about the authors tone... and it felt like every other question was like that =P Has anything changed with the MCAT? I was the last group to write hard copies. I know it's all on computer now. But in terms of formatting etc... also, are the Kaplan books still the best? And do you need updated editions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 20, 2011 Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 Ya.. i finished the PS section 20 minutes early and handed in paper because I knew if I revised my answers I was going to get things wrong. The VR, however, felt like I was reading chinese. I think anyone trying to function the day after an all-nighter finishing lab reports knows the feeling. And ya... the PhD is probably the most rigorous exercise in logical reasoning I have ever attempted. I love it. I didn't enjoy the VR questions that asked 'what statement best reflects the authors tone' though... and all the answers were essentially correct... so it's really what answer is MOST correct about the authors tone... and it felt like every other question was like that =P Sure - you are a science guy, and likely didn't have as much training in the whole artisy style verbal subjects. Science is automatic for you, you literally can do it in your sleep. V.R. is not an automatic skill for most premeds because they don't generally take a pile of english, psych, economist, philosophy.....courses where that skill is developed. Tired, stressed, or distracted most science peoples' score collapses. My VR jumped a lot post my arts degree. It is just a function of practise really - your phd should help with some of that though etc. It is kind of funny when 3 or 4 of the papers on the test you have pretty much already read before (same author, same subject). Anyway VR is not a barrier you cannot overcome - it is just not the natural subject in the universe for many When are you done this phD? It is getting late in the cycle for the MCAT for this year but still in the end having two more schools you can apply to is a pretty big plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted July 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 Sure - you are a science guy, and likely didn't have as much training in the whole artisy style verbal subjects. Science is automatic for you, you literally can do it in your sleep. V.R. is not an automatic skill for most premeds because they don't generally take a pile of english, psych, economist, philosophy.....courses where that skill is developed. Tired, stressed, or distracted most science peoples' score collapses. My VR jumped a lot post my arts degree. It is just a function of practise really - your phd should help with some of that though etc. It is kind of funny when 3 or 4 of the papers on the test you have pretty much already read before (same author, same subject). Anyway VR is not a barrier you cannot overcome - it is just not the natural subject in the universe for many When are you done this phD? It is getting late in the cycle for the MCAT for this year but still in the end having two more schools you can apply to is a pretty big plus. I wouldn't be writing this year. I'll probably be defending in spring 2013, so I wouldn't be eligible for medschool entry until fall 2013. And since by that time I'd be 32, I'll likely go the MOTP route. Can't be a poor student for my whole like you know! =P Which means I'll likely write in 2012. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 20, 2011 Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 I wouldn't be writing this year. I'll probably be defending in spring 2013, so I wouldn't be eligible for medschool entry until fall 2013. And since by that time I'd be 32, I'll likely go the MOTP route. Can't be a poor student for my whole like you know! =P Which means I'll likely write in 2012. You have plenty of time then! Excellent, and best of luck (and the available bursaries, LOC, OSAP loan + grants etc mean that medical students are not exactly starving to death. Yes we are students, but it isn't all Mac and cheese ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted July 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 You have plenty of time then! Excellent, and best of luck (and the available bursaries, LOC, OSAP loan + grants etc mean that medical students are not exactly starving to death. Yes we are students, but it isn't all Mac and cheese ) thanks.. and thanks for your time.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firesinx Posted July 20, 2011 Report Share Posted July 20, 2011 Never say never. lol, no but seriously You have to remember if your later years reflect a high GPA when applying to Ottawa, your first year marks will be civered up byt he wGPA, A.K.A Yea you have another shot in the game as long as you have high GPA in your last 2 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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