Feeling discouraged

[Kasiunut]

I'm beginning to feel really discouraged about my chances for med school.

 

My ECs are solid, I have an ok GPA but not stellar:

 

3.75 for UofT, 3.8 for Western, 3.6 for Mac (damn those outside of my degree courses!!)...

 

but I'm mostly worried about the MCAT. I had originally planned to take it in April and spend May-Aug doing the 1.5 remaining Life Science pre-reqs for UofT (which would be my #1 choice as I live in TO, my husband has a job here, son goes to school etc). However, having ZERO sciences in my background I'm having a hard time with studying. I mean, I understand mostly everything but now I have to learn it and I'm not getting there fast enough, even though I took a course.

 

Which means I'll likely have to rewrite in August, unless I'm somehow score a 14 on VR (my only strong suit) and maybe my application to Mac might have a chance. But if I have to rewrite, this means I can't do the prereqs. Which leaves UofT out.

 

And with the super-high MCAT cut-offs for Western, also looks unlikely.

 

So...looks like all I'm left with is Mac (prob most competitive school in Ont), MUN (even more competitive statistically, 500 OOP apply for 3 spots) and NOSM (but am from Toronto, so also unlikely).

 

 

Its just frustrating because I was really hoping to apply to at least 7 schools this year.

 

I'm considering Australia too, as I can get PR status, but deep down I really want to stay in Canada, as much as I loved Australia (have lived there in the past).

 

I've wanted this for so long and only recently had the courage to try and pursue it.

[Kasiunut]

What is wrong with queens?

 

Study for the MCAT, complete your prereqs during the fall/winter. No matter how strong you think you are on verbal it will surprise you when you get the score back. If you want to do residency in Canada forget Australia. What are solid ECs?

 

I don't have physics or chemistry, which I think are prereqs for Queens?

 

I know about verbal being much harder than it seems. I've been getting anywhere from 10-12 on practice AAMC tests - but I know that its no guarantee on the actual - which is why I'm worried about my chances for Mac.

 

I don't necessarily care about residency in Canada - my husband is from down under and wouldn't mind moving back.

 

My ECs include:

* working as a physician's assistant at my family docs practice (lots of patient interaction, learning a lot - my family physician is an associate prof at Queens and Mac and has been awesome)

* working for my family doc's clinical trials research company (patient interaction, learned loads about clinical trials)

* volunteering at a nursing home, focus on dementia and palliative care patients (nothing medical, but still get learning experience)

* going to shadow a pediatric surgeon

* Treasurer of the Polish Club for 2 years at university

* intramural basketball in university, varsity tennis, basketball & soccer in HS (not sure if HS activities count)

* misc volunteering including Epilepsy foundation, a children's charity in Australia and others

* model United Nations

* working for a top accounting firm for 5 years

* held a parttime job throughout all of university

* camp counselor in summer (lots of responsibility over kids)

* various other summer jobs

* going to be shadowing a pediatric surgeon in Poland

* long distance running (many charity events, though no amazing times - not sure if this counts)

* merit scholarships

* lots of awards in HS (again, not sure it counts), honors society, did IB diploma, volunteered at an orphanage (in fact, I ran & organized it) in Poland when I lived there

* other stuff too, I can't remember everything though I'm going to need to find my old CVs from uni to remind myself. I know i belonged to other clubs but didn't have leadership positions

 

But...I guess because I'm married, have a kid, mortgage etc...I don't feel like its fair to pursue this indefinitely. I guess I'm mostly disappointed because I was hoping to be able to apply more broadly this summer and it just doesn't look likely...means putting it all off for another year. I know it was unrealistic to think I could get in so easily but I guess I was just a bit too optimistic and the disillusionment is starting to hit me.

[future_doc]

ALL worthwhile endeavours take time and give us detours. The single most driving force to sustain you is self-motivation followed by focus, discipline and self-sacrifice. Who said it was going to be easy or fast, lol. Stay the course. Live with no regrets. One more year in the scheme of things is not so terrible. Good luck!

[MyGPAsucks]

I don't have physics or chemistry, which I think are prereqs for Queens?

 

I know about verbal being much harder than it seems. I've been getting anywhere from 10-12 on practice AAMC tests - but I know that its no guarantee on the actual - which is why I'm worried about my chances for Mac.

 

I don't necessarily care about residency in Canada - my husband is from down under and wouldn't mind moving back.

 

My ECs include:

* working as a physician's assistant at my family docs practice (lots of patient interaction, learning a lot - my family physician is an associate prof at Queens and Mac and has been awesome)

* working for my family doc's clinical trials research company (patient interaction, learned loads about clinical trials)

* volunteering at a nursing home, focus on dementia and palliative care patients (nothing medical, but still get learning experience)

* going to shadow a pediatric surgeon

* Treasurer of the Polish Club for 2 years at university

* intramural basketball in university, varsity tennis, basketball & soccer in HS (not sure if HS activities count)

* misc volunteering including Epilepsy foundation, a children's charity in Australia and others

* model United Nations

* working for a top accounting firm for 5 years

* held a parttime job throughout all of university

* camp counselor in summer (lots of responsibility over kids)

* various other summer jobs

* going to be shadowing a pediatric surgeon in Poland

* long distance running (many charity events, though no amazing times - not sure if this counts)

* merit scholarships

* lots of awards in HS (again, not sure it counts), honors society, did IB diploma, volunteered at an orphanage (in fact, I ran & organized it) in Poland when I lived there

* other stuff too, I can't remember everything though I'm going to need to find my old CVs from uni to remind myself. I know i belonged to other clubs but didn't have leadership positions

 

But...I guess because I'm married, have a kid, mortgage etc...I don't feel like its fair to pursue this indefinitely. I guess I'm mostly disappointed because I was hoping to be able to apply more broadly this summer and it just doesn't look likely...means putting it all off for another year. I know it was unrealistic to think I could get in so easily but I guess I was just a bit too optimistic and the disillusionment is starting to hit me.

 

Well your ECs are definitely great- lots of healthcare experience and volunteer work.

 

But getting a high score on the MCAT at Toronto actually isn't necessary. From their website:

 

"The MCAT is not included in the overall academic calculation, but is used as a "flag." Less than minimum marks will jeopardize the success of the application."

 

You only need to get a 9 on each of the sections (and an N on the writing sample) which is certainly doable. Good luck!!

 

Here's a link: http://www.md.utoronto.ca/admissions/information/faq.htm#mcat

[MyGPAsucks]

Oh, and I forgot to mention, Queen's actually recently abolished their prereqs (might have been this year actually). Also, I don't think there are any hard cutoffs for MCAT scores, so you with your very strong ECs and solid GPA, you might be able to compensate.

 

http://meds.queensu.ca/education/undergraduate/prospective_students/academic_requirements

[Kasiunut]

Oh, and I forgot to mention, Queen's actually recently abolished their prereqs (might have been this year actually). Also, I don't think there are any hard cutoffs for MCAT scores, so you with your very strong ECs and solid GPA, you might be able to compensate.

 

http://meds.queensu.ca/education/undergraduate/prospective_students/academic_requirements

 

Wow, thats actually great news! Thanks for letting me know!

[Der Kaiser]

Oh, and I forgot to mention, Queen's actually recently abolished their prereqs (might have been this year actually). Also, I don't think there are any hard cutoffs for MCAT scores, so you with your very strong ECs and solid GPA, you might be able to compensate.

 

http://meds.queensu.ca/education/undergraduate/prospective_students/academic_requirements

 

Queens has not confirmed any hard MCAT cutoffs, but evidence from this site suggests that there likely are some (10 VR, 9 PS, 9 BS, Q WS, overall 30), since nobody from here who did not make these cutoffs got an interview. Just something to think about.

[Kasiunut]

Queens has not confirmed any hard MCAT cutoffs, but evidence from this site suggests that there likely are some (10 VR, 9 PS, 9 BS, Q WS, overall 30), since nobody from here who did not make these cutoffs got an interview. Just something to think about.

 

Definitely...but knowing that at least I can apply based on not worrying about prereqs...and actually feel MORE motivated to study for the MCAT.

[MyGPAsucks]

Wow, thats actually great news! Thanks for letting me know!

 

No problem. I think it's great that you're pursuing your dreams, and with your very strong ECs combined with a solid GPA, I definitely think you have a good shot at getting in on this cycle, especially at Queen's and Toronto. And depending on how well you do on the MCAT, Western too.

[carraci]

Don't feel discouraged! I am in a similar boat.. non-traditional applicant (27 years old), finished a masters degree with a 4.0 GPA but a miserable UG GPA (3.3). I am taking the next year to beef up my GPA with a full course-load of sciences just to prove that I can handle that kind of rigour.

 

I applied last cycle and got rejected in March from UofT.. It's such a rollercoaster of excitement/discouragement (especially when you spend time on this blog and SDN... some people's comments can be pretty harsh).

 

Hang in there and future_doc is right... one more year is not that big of a deal in the bigger picture

[simpy]

Don't feel discouraged! I am in a similar boat.. non-traditional applicant (27 years old), finished a masters degree with a 4.0 GPA but a miserable UG GPA (3.3). I am taking the next year to beef up my GPA with a full course-load of sciences just to prove that I can handle that kind of rigour.

 

I applied last cycle and got rejected in March from UofT.. It's such a rollercoaster of excitement/discouragement (especially when you spend time on this blog and SDN... some people's comments can be pretty harsh).

 

Hang in there and future_doc is right... one more year is not that big of a deal in the bigger picture

 

Let me encourage you not to take a full course-load of sciences "just to prove" it. Definitely take a full courseload, and take any prereqs that you need (i.e. if Western is an option for you, make sure you satisfy their senior-level course requirement). Aside from these, take courses that you are genuinely interested in and that you are strong in. Adcoms really don't care about you "proving" yourself, they care infinitely more about your GPA. Make sure that is what you are maximizing.

[future_doc]

Well said..

[carraci]

I agree - but seeing as my science courses were my weakest courses in school (and I did take other courses that I loved while in undergrad) I feel that I need to show that i can handle a full-time courseload of sciences (especially since it was just a lack of commitment that caused my gpa to suffer). Also since i'm applying to the US, I need to take biochem, calc, phys, stats...

[MyGPAsucks]

I agree - but seeing as my science courses were my weakest courses in school (and I did take other courses that I loved while in undergrad) I feel that I need to show that i can handle a full-time courseload of sciences (especially since it was just a lack of commitment that caused my gpa to suffer). Also since i'm applying to the US, I need to take biochem, calc, phys, stats...

 

I don't think this is necessary. If you read through some of the threads here you'll see over and over again that adcoms apparently don't care what discipline you studied- just what marks you received. A 3.9 in basket weaving has a better chance of getting you into med school than a 3.7 in the sciences.

[rmorelan]

I don't think this is necessary. If you read through some of the threads here you'll see over and over again that adcoms apparently don't care what discipline you studied- just what marks you received. A 3.9 in basket weaving has a better chance of getting you into med school than a 3.7 in the sciences.

 

Exactly - bluntly speaking the med school application process is hard enough without inventing new ways to make it even worse. What you need is a high GPA - that is the goal, that is the target

[Der Kaiser]

Let me encourage you not to take a full course-load of sciences "just to prove" it. Definitely take a full courseload, and take any prereqs that you need (i.e. if Western is an option for you, make sure you satisfy their senior-level course requirement). Aside from these, take courses that you are genuinely interested in and that you are strong in. Adcoms really don't care about you "proving" yourself, they care infinitely more about your GPA. Make sure that is what you are maximizing.

 

I ended up trying to do this exact thing and ended up basically switching programs 'cause it ends up full courseload of science you are not really interested in is a lot of work.