Discipline Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 I've searched the forums and the posts about SMPs didn't quite answer my questions so here goes. I'm Canadian, went to UofT and have a 3.3 cGPA. I scored 34 (14/10/10 S) on my MCAT in 2011, so it will be expiring for US schools in 2014. I have solid extracurriculars including volunteering 400 hrs in a hospital, tutoring, school clubs etc. I have good undergrad research experience (not published though) and great references. My chances at Ontario schools and US schools are pretty minuscule if not zero. I've considered pursuing a second undergrad degree at an 'easier' university simply to boost my GPA, but I've recently become transfixed with these SMP programs they have in the states. They seem like a legit way to matriculate into a US school... if you're a US resident. So is it a viable option for us Canadian students? Has anyone on these forums actually gone through this process and succeeded? Financing my education is not an issue, so the steep tuition of the SMPs isn't a factor, as long as it's a practical option. Any advice is appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FML. Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 I've searched the forums and the posts about SMPs didn't quite answer my questions so here goes. I'm Canadian, went to UofT and have a 3.3 cGPA. I scored 34 (14/10/10 S) on my MCAT in 2011, so it will be expiring for US schools in 2014. I have solid extracurriculars including volunteering 400 hrs in a hospital, tutoring, school clubs etc. I have good undergrad research experience (not published though) and great references. My chances at Ontario schools and US schools are pretty minuscule if not zero. I've considered pursuing a second undergrad degree at an 'easier' university simply to boost my GPA, but I've recently become transfixed with these SMP programs they have in the states. They seem like a legit way to matriculate into a US school... if you're a US resident. So is it a viable option for us Canadian students? Has anyone on these forums actually gone through this process and succeeded? Financing my education is not an issue, so the steep tuition of the SMPs isn't a factor, as long as it's a practical option. Any advice is appreciated. with an MCAT of 34 are you certain you don't have a shot? Your ECs seem reasonably good and you seem to put a lot of trust on your LORs. I'm assuming you are white. According to this chart you have a chance of getting in, no? https://www.aamc.org/download/321518/data/2012factstable25-4.pdf But I suppose it would be harder for Canadians...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discipline Posted March 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 with an MCAT of 34 are you certain you don't have a shot? Your ECs seem reasonably good and you seem to put a lot of trust on your LORs. I'm assuming you are white. According to this chart you have a chance of getting in, no? https://www.aamc.org/download/321518/data/2012factstable25-4.pdf But I suppose it would be harder for Canadians...? I'm actually Asian, so that doesn't really help out my cause. I've heard the general rule of thumb for Canadians applying to the states is >3.7 and >30 MCAT. I've already graduated so my GPA is pretty much locked in (It would take 2 years full time with straight 4.0s to bring it up to 3.5, and 4 years to get it to 3.7). I believe my references are strong too, both professors and administration (one of the VPs). I love that table you linked to. I wish it applied to international applicants though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGITWONTFI Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Dude apply to DO schools, you're golden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpatient Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 SMPs are an option for Canadians who wish to get an MD from the US...there are a few out there, but the risk factor is that you have to do well or you just wasted a lot of money...the other option that is much better is to go DO, especially with the changes coming ahead in the next few years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discipline Posted March 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 SMPs are an option for Canadians who wish to get an MD from the US...there are a few out there, but the risk factor is that you have to do well or you just wasted a lot of money...the other option that is much better is to go DO, especially with the changes coming ahead in the next few years Could you please elaborate on which changes? I've been hesitant to consider the DO route, despite all the good things I hear about it simply because I'm Canadian. I contacted the people at COMSA and they gave me the contact info for 3 DOs. Each of the physicians was located ~2 hour drive up into rural Ontario, in cities I've never heard of. If I obtain a medical degree MD or DO, I want to be certain that I can practice in my home city (Toronto). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
advair250 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 You have decent stats, apply to a solid SMP and do well! It's not really a risk factor, since if you can't do well in an SMP(Which is generally easier than M1), well, then you aren't going to do well in med. You'd more likely than not be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mashmetoo Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Could you please elaborate on which changes? I've been hesitant to consider the DO route, despite all the good things I hear about it simply because I'm Canadian. I contacted the people at COMSA and they gave me the contact info for 3 DOs. Each of the physicians was located ~2 hour drive up into rural Ontario, in cities I've never heard of. If I obtain a medical degree MD or DO, I want to be certain that I can practice in my home city (Toronto). lol... There are DOs in Toronto, in fact one works at Sick kids, and one in Newmarket Ontario. Unfortunately for you, it appears neither of them wants to take any pre-meds for shadowing. The other thing is, whether you go the MD or DO route (assuming you get in) has no bearing on whether you'll be able to work in Toronto. It's not like you can magically come back to Toronto if you go to a MD school, these things for the most part are out of your control. The DOs who agreed to put their contact information out there so pre-meds like you can shadow them - they came from Northern Ontario in the first place. They decided to go back home after becoming doctors. They even did their training in Canada in the 90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slashsev Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 * im certain im going to get bashed but once you start going outside of canada for medschool your chances of comming back are shot..... AGAIN MY 2 CENTS!!! id try to do a best 2 years thing here in canada and do canadian school MANY people in the US now do SMPs... your mcat is golden.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
advair250 Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 Slashev, although a bit pessimistic, has a hidden point: Be prepared for all options involved with doing education outside of Canada.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mourning Cloak Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 If I obtain a medical degree MD or DO, I want to be certain that I can practice in my home city (Toronto). You may want to think about which is more important . . . . 1) I want to be a doctor 2) I want to work in Toronto Assuming that you can't have your cake and eat it, too (e.g. get into a Canadian med school, in which can likely have #1 and #2), THEN . . . . If #1 is more important, I would resign myself to the idea of not working in Toronto, and quite possibly not working in Canada. If you go abroad, it's not easy getting back. But if being a doctor is more important than where, you'll just have to take the chance. It also depends on the specialty you're after - it's easier to come back from the states as a family doc than as a specialist, but you're still most likely looking at "underserviced" areas. If #2 is more important, I would consider alternatives to medicine. Have you thought about being a clinical chemist or microbiologist? A hospital-based pharmacist or physiotherapist? Perfusionist working in cardiothoracic surgery? NP? Cytogeneticist? The vast majority of people you see in the hospital doing important work aren't MDs, remember! This is the safest option - you won't have to worry about going unmatched, crushing debt, etc. etc. Anyways, something to think about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slashsev Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 *like i said these are my own 2 cents ....i believe with already the low stats of comming back, majority of them are through connections and nothing more be ready for the US there is no nother country that will train a canadian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nychila Posted March 30, 2013 Report Share Posted March 30, 2013 If I obtain a medical degree MD or DO, I want to be certain that I can practice in my home city (Toronto). Even if you get your education and training in Canada, there is no guarantee that you will be able to practice in the greater Toronto area... This depends on many factors that you cannot control like your specialty (certain specialties are over-saturated in large cities), changing family circumstances, there might not be any job openings in Toronto when you finish residency, and getting a job in Toronto is competitive in general because that's what lots of people want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearpuppy Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 I'm curious -- why are so many of you saying it's hard for a Canadian to return to Canada after a US MD? And, specifically, are you referring to residency or after ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slashsev Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 i recommend YOU do some research vs getting your info on premed101 forum verbiage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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